The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has promised to “rebuild community pharmacy” as it announced it had reached an agreement with Community Pharmacy England (CPE) for a funding increase over two years – worth an extra £106m compared to the previous year, and a further £375m for 2025/26.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents around half of the UK’s 12,000 independent community pharmacies, said it would hold off planned collection action while they analysed the new funding deal from the Government.
They pointed to a long-awaited economic analysis of community pharmacy, published last week, which revealed the devastating impact years of underfunding is having on pharmacies – with around 78 per cent in England not sustainable in the short term.
“Each community pharmacy has a unique model of operating and business. So whether this is an ok, good or bad deal is really difficult to ascertain. Whether this funding, which is welcome, will sustain pharmacies going forward will depend on how the funding will flow into pharmacies over the coming months and support those who are struggling with cash flow and ever increasing costs.
Mike Hewitson, who runs Beaminster Pharmacy, in Dorset, said the economic review had revealed the funding gap to be “eyewatering and growing”.
“The most important thing is what happens next. We need to see continued investments to close the funding gap and ensure that community pharmacy can fulfil its potential for primary care.”
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“Without a cash injection, many pharmacies across the country will now be weighing up whether they can afford to remain open and deliver the vital primary care services their communities require,” she said.
She said: “To make matters worse, CPE voted for this deal with full knowledge of the findings of the [economic review]. The report… was made available to CPE executives and committee, but the NHS officials did not publish it to the public in advance of the CPE vote despite IPA and our members pushing very hard for it to be made public.”
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “We’re working to turn around a decade of underfunding and neglect that has left the sector on the brink of collapse. This package of record investment and reform is a vital first step to getting community pharmacies back on their feet and fit for the future.”
CPE chief executive Janet Morrison said: “We are pleased that this settlement takes a positive first step in the right direction for pharmacies, towards stabilisation and a better future.”
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