Government cuts to public health spending could reduce patient access to pharmacy services, Pharmacy Voice has warned.

The government's 2015 spending review, released last week (November 25), claimed to "finish the job" of reforming the public health system by "delivering average annual real-term savings of 3.9% over the next five years". The government called on councils to "deliver efficiencies" within public health spending to ensure "all funding is spent in the best way possible".

Pharmacy Voice said it was "extremely concerned" about the spending cuts, which it said will reduce access to stop smoking, alcohol, and weight management services. The decision to reduce public health funding "contradicts" NHS England's Five Year Forward View strategy document, which is "very clear on the urgency of radically upgrading prevention in puclic health", it said.

"Without investing in prevention we are simply storing up greater costs to impact on the health system further down the line," it added.

Pharmacy must compete for funding

Contractor and West Berkshire Conservative councillor Graham Jones said pharmacy would have to “compete for the finance along with everyone else”, but said the sector was in a "strong position" with local commissioners.

"Pharmacy can be one of the most efficient ways of delivering [sexual health services]. Something like emergency hormonal contraception for teenagers, you need the clinical setting," he said.

The Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB), which represents manufacturers of branded over-the-counter medicines, said government spending plans will damage already declining stop smoking services.

"Cuts to local government public health budgets are impacting on the number and quality of services offered, as well as the advertising and promotion of services, so people don't always know that help is available," chief executive John Smith said.

In its spending review, the government also said it will "consult on options" for public health budgets to be funded entirely by local business rates, as part of a move to allow local authorities to keep 100% of the rates. Currently, councils only keep half of all local business rates.

It also announced that Public Health England's grant to local authorities for public health spending would remained ringfenced until at least 2018.

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