Community pharmacy leaders have given the government’s response to the HSCC’s report on pharmacy a lukewarm welcome, noting a lack of “urgency” or updates on medicine shortages or funding.
In May, the parliamentary committee’s pharmacy inquiry report demanded drastic changes to sector funding and pharmacist substitution powers, as well as an expanded Pharmacy First to include free over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for those on low incomes.
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Now, the government has “accepted” some recommendations on national patient safety alerts, the “development of clinical services in community pharmacy settings” and the “ongoing promotion of Pharmacy First”.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) response, published on Friday (January 10), also revealed that:
- A study of Pharmacy First will “review the effectiveness of GP minor illness referrals to community pharmacy”
- An evaluation of the Independent Prescriber Pathfinder Programme is “expected in 2025”
- The Pharmacy Integration Fund in 2024/25 is extending a successful “teach and treat” clinics pilot
- The feasibility of delivery of HIV drug pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) via pharmacies is being piloted
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The DH “partially” accepted recommendations for “an independent review of the medicines supply chain” to be commissioned and for a “greater focus on the availability and quality” of “necessary placements” in the pharmacy sector.
But it rejected the “introduction of generic substitution” and the creation of a new pharmacy “establishment payment...to support the development of consultation spaces for patients”.
HSCC chair Layla Moran said that the new committee is “concerned that [the] response does not clearly reflect the sense of urgency…the predecessor committee derived from its inquiry”.
“Significant disappointments”
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison said on Friday that “there are some significant disappointments in the response – no new promises on funding and a rejection of generic substitution”.
But she added that “it is more positive that the government is at least partially accepting 17 out of the 19 recommendations”.
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CPE is “keen” to begin work on these recommendations to “deliver solutions for pharmacy, for patients and for primary care, at pace”, Morrison said, but stressed that “these changes will come at a cost”.
“Community pharmacies cannot take on the burden of the proposals to extend their services if the core funding issues aren’t fixed,” she stressed.
Lacks “sense of urgency”
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) also said on Friday that the government’s acceptance of many of the recommendations is “encouraging” but that the response lacked “a sense of urgency”.
“What’s lacking is a sense of urgency, especially in terms of fixing our broken contract and properly funding pharmacies’ vital work,” NPA director of corporate affairs Gareth Jones said.
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“We urge ministers to end the crippling underfunding of our sector and unleash our potential to transform the way people can stay healthy and access local treatment and advice,” he added.
And the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) director for England and Wales Elen Jones said that the government’s response “must now be backed by action in the 10-Year Health Plan and new workforce plan expected later this year”.
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“I welcome the government’s commitment to make the most of the next generation of pharmacist prescribers,” she said.
But she stressed that “pharmacists and pharmacy teams are under significant pressure and many will share the committee chair’s concern that additional support is needed now”.
