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Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee

Pharmacy

Status: Closed Opened: 8 Jun 2023 Closed: 30 May 2024 20 recommendations 10 conclusions 1 report

The pharmacy inquiry will explore issues impacting different types of pharmacy, with a particular focus on community, primary care and hospital pharmacy services. During a time of change and reorganisation across the health and care system, and following upheaval driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, the inquiry will assess the current status of pharmacy in England … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Pharmacy HC 140 29 May 2024 30 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
1 Conclusion Third Report - Pharmacy Acknowledged

Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework is not fit for purpose, requiring urgent reform.

There is clearly something wrong if the funding that pharmacies receive from the NHS does not cover medicine costs, given their core function of dispensing medicines. The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework is evidently not fit for purpose. It is overly complex and has contributed to the financial pressures that pharmacies … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the need for reform and stated it is committed to working with the sector. NHS England is currently undertaking an economic analysis of the community pharmacy sector, which will inform future proposals for funding and contractual arrangements.
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Department of Health and Social Care
3 Conclusion Third Report - Pharmacy Acknowledged

Medicine shortages undermine community pharmacy potential and erode public confidence.

Tackling medicine shortages is another vital component in securing the ability of pharmacy to meet its future potential. Medicine shortages cannot be ignored and left to become the norm. The wider implications of medicine shortages for the long- term potential of community pharmacy to take on more clinical work are … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for flexibility in dispensing alternative medications and is currently examining options with stakeholders to assess appropriateness and risk management, but provides no specific commitment or timeline for implementing changes.
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Department of Health and Social Care
6 Recommendation Third Report - Pharmacy Acknowledged

Update regulations to allow pharmacists to make dose and formulation substitutions for out-of-stock medicines.

We recommend that regulations are updated within three months to allow pharmacists in community settings to make dose and formulation substitutions for out-of-stock items, subject to the safeguards set out in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Medicines Shortage Policy. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the complexity of medicine supply and states it is taking actions to improve management, but does not commit to updating regulations within three months for pharmacist substitutions, instead stating it will keep the idea of an independent review under consideration.
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Department of Health and Social Care
12 Recommendation Third Report - Pharmacy Acknowledged

Publish a long-term vision for expanding clinical services and roles within community pharmacies.

We recommend that the Government and NHS England publish a long-term vision for the further development of clinical services in community pharmacy settings within one year. This vision should: a) include consideration of examples of success within locally commissioned services, and how these could be offered across England b) build … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government outlines ongoing efforts to roll out digital capabilities for Pharmacy First and commits to ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the service via an NIHR study, but does not provide a comprehensive long-term vision for expanded clinical services with specific timeframes or funding commitments.
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Department of Health and Social Care
13 Recommendation Third Report - Pharmacy Acknowledged

Commission community pharmacies to provide HIV-prevention PrEP and all routine adult and child immunisations.

In the shorter term, and in light of the large body of evidence and long-running calls for these services to be offered in community pharmacy settings, we recommend that NHS England commissions community pharmacies to provide the HIV-prevention medication PrEP and all routine and seasonal immunisations for adults and children. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government will consider the recommendation to commission community pharmacies for PrEP and immunisations as part of developing a 10-Year Health Plan focused on technology and digital transformation.
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Department of Health and Social Care

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
26 Mar 2024 David Webb · NHS England, Dr Amanda Doyle OBE · NHS England, Rt Hon Dame Andrea Leadsom MP · Department of Health and Social Care View ↗
19 Feb 2024 Dr Rick Greville · The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), Helen Kirrane · Diabetes UK, Janet Morrison · Community Pharmacy England, Mark Samuels · British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA), Mike Dent · Community Pharmacy England View ↗
16 Jan 2024 Deborah Evans · Remedi Health, Duncan Rudkin · General Pharmaceutical Council, Mark Koziol · The Pharmacists' Defence Association, Nicola Stockmann · Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK, William Pett · Healthwatch England View ↗
21 Nov 2023 Dr Graham Stretch · Primary Care Pharmacy Association, Dr James Davies · Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Dr Leyla Hannbeck · Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, Jay Badenhorst · National Pharmacy Association, Malcolm Harrison · Company Chemists' Association View ↗

Who gave evidence

18 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
David Webb · Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England NHS England 1
Deborah Evans · Clinic Director and Superintendent Pharmacist Remedi Health 1
Dr Amanda Doyle OBE · National Director for Primary Care and Community … NHS England 1
Dr Graham Stretch · President Primary Care Pharmacy Association 1
Dr James Davies · Director for England Royal Pharmaceutical Society 1
Dr Leyla Hannbeck · Chief Executive Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies 1
Dr Rick Greville · Director, Distribution and Supply The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) 1
Duncan Rudkin · Chief Executive and Registrar General Pharmaceutical Council 1
Helen Kirrane · Head of Policy, Campaigns and Mobilisation Diabetes UK 1
Janet Morrison · Chief Executive Community Pharmacy England 1
Jay Badenhorst · Vice Chair National Pharmacy Association 1
Malcolm Harrison · Chief Executive Company Chemists' Association 1
Mark Koziol · Chair The Pharmacists' Defence Association 1
Mark Samuels · CEO British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) 1
Mike Dent · Director of Pharmacy Funding Community Pharmacy England 1
Nicola Stockmann · Vice President Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK 1
Rt Hon Dame Andrea Leadsom MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department of Health and Social Care 1
William Pett · Head of Policy, Public Affairs & Research Healthwatch England 1