Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Deferred
Commission an independent review of the medicines supply chain, including resilience and generic availability.
Recommendation
The Government should commission an independent review of the medicines supply chain. Given the impact that shortages are having, this should be commissioned as soon as possible and completed within 6 months of starting. The review should assess, and suggest ways of improving, the resilience of the supply chain, the performance and role of the MHRA and the impact of prices paid for medicines and community pharmacy reimbursement mechanisms. We recommend a particular focus on the availability and use of generic medicines, though the review should not be limited to these. (Paragraph 64) Extending pharmacy services
Government Response Summary
The government discusses past and present pharmacy funding mechanisms, including the phased-out establishment payment and the Pharmacy First monthly payment, without addressing the recommendation to commission an independent review of the medicines supply chain.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The establishment payment was paid out to all pharmacies dispensing at least 2,500 prescriptions per month and was phased out between 2016 and 2021 following reforms to the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. Almost all pharmacy funding is now paid out based on activity, so every item dispensed, or every service delivered attracts a payment which set to cover pharmacies’ costs in delivering the service. Those pharmacies participating in Pharmacy First will already receive a £1000 monthly fixed payment to support them to deliver clinical services if the pharmacy has reached the minimum threshold of clinical pathway consultations for that month.