Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Deferred
Support for smaller pharmacies is needed to provide private clinical consultation spaces.
Conclusion
Community pharmacies offering clinical services must have private, comfortable spaces in which to see patients. We acknowledge the minister’s comments around pharmacies being private businesses, but they are ultimately expected to provide NHS services. As the expanding availability of clinical services in pharmacy settings is encouraged, we believe a more balanced approach is needed to support smaller, particularly independent, pharmacies to keep up with larger ones and have the resources to create the appropriate conditions in which to provide the new services that the Government and the public want to see. (Paragraph 105) 46 Pharmacy
Government Response Summary
The government deflected the recommendation regarding private consultation spaces by focusing on the refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan and workforce development, including supporting pharmacists to become independent prescribers and piloting an Independent Prescriber Pathfinder Programme.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
As set out above, this summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan. The NHS has for years been facing chronic workforce shortages and we have to be honest that bringing in the staff we need will take time. We are committed to training the staff we need to get patients seen on time. This Government will make sure the NHS has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. As outlined above, we have launched a 10 Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of the 10 Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities. The refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan will set out how we plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We are committed to growing the pharmacy workforce. Reforms to initial education and training and post registration training ensures pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in community pharmacy are supported to be better integrated into the NHS. All newly qualified pharmacists will be independent prescribers from 2026 and up to 3,000 existing pharmacists per year (across all sectors) are being supported to become independent prescribers to be able to play a greater role in multidisciplinary clinical teams. As outlined above, NHS England is implementing strategies for further increasing access to prescribing supervision and DPPs. NHS England is working with integrated care boards to pilot how independent prescribing can further support clinical service development in community pharmacy. The Independent Prescriber Pathfinder Programme aims to establish a framework for the future commissioning of NHS community pharmacy clinical services incorporating independent prescribing for patients in primary care. The programme will be evaluated, and a report is expected in 2025 to inform future commissioning decisions. NHS England is also committed to producing a 5-year pharmacy technician development programme. This will focus on developing the clinical and technical roles of pharmacy technicians to practice autonomously as competent and confident healthcare professionals.