Pharmacy

Health and Social Care Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 8 Jun 2023 Closed: 30 May 2024 Parliament page
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 … Read more
20 Recommendations
10 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
4 Events
Activity timeline 10 events
10 Jan
2025
Report published
29 May
2024
Report published
26 Mar
2024
Oral evidence
26 Mar
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
19 Feb
2024
Oral evidence
19 Feb
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
16 Jan
2024
Oral evidence
16 Jan
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
21 Nov
2023
Oral evidence
21 Nov
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
26 Mar 2024
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David Webb · NHS England Dr Amanda Doyle OBE · NHS England Rt Hon Dame Andrea Leadsom MP · Department of Health and Social Care
19 Feb 2024
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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
16 Jan 2024
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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
21 Nov 2023
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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
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Pharmacy HC 140 29 May 2024 30 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
30 results
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - Pharmacy
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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2 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Overhaul the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework to address funding gaps and reduce complexity.
We recommend that the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) is completely overhauled, in close consultation with the community pharmacy sector. Any new framework must: a) close the gap in funding that community pharmacy has experienced over the course of the … Read more
Government Response
The government's response focused on Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) as a tool to manage medicine shortages, explaining their use and stating that the policy will continue to be kept under review. It did not address the recommendation to completely overhaul the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework.
Department of Health and Social Care
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3 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - Pharmacy
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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4 Conclusion Accepted
Third Report - Pharmacy
Medicine shortages risk negating general practice capacity gains from Pharmacy First.
It is also especially worrying that shortages are resulting in patients being directed back into general practice. There is a serious risk that any capacity that general practice gains, through services like Pharmacy First, will be negated by the time … Read more
Government Response
The government reiterates that current regulations require exact dispensing for patient safety, notes most prescriptions are generic, and explains that a previous proposal for generic substitution was not progressed due to patient safety concerns.
Department of Health and Social Care
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5 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Review the effectiveness of Serious Shortage Protocols, focusing on timing and administrative burden.
We recommend that the Government reviews the effectiveness of Serious Shortage Protocols, with a focus on their timing and their administrative burden. (Paragraph 49) 44 Pharmacy
Government Response
The government discusses the role of National Patient Safety Alerts and Medicine Supply Notifications in managing shortages, but does not address the specific recommendation to review the effectiveness, timing, or administrative burden of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs).
Department of Health and Social Care
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6 Recommendation Acknowledged
Third Report - Pharmacy
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
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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7 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Introduce generic substitution following consultation to ensure patient safety and supply chain stability.
We believe that allowing generic substitution would be an important way of reducing the need for patients to return to their GP for out-of-stock medication. We further recommend the introduction of generic substitution, which should follow a government consultation focusing … Read more
Government Response
The government responds by outlining its commitment to expanding the role of pharmacists and introducing prescribing services, but does not address the specific recommendation to introduce generic substitution or to consult on its implementation.
Department of Health and Social Care
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8 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Set out impact of Patient Safety Alerts on private prescribing and enforcement measures.
In their response to this report, the Government should set out what impact it believes National Patient Safety Alerts have on private prescribing and what scrutiny and enforcement measures are in place to ensure private prescribers adhere to these alerts. Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the point but then discusses the new HIV Action Plan for 2025-30 and PrEP access, mentioning pilot studies for PrEP delivery, without addressing the impact of National Patient Safety Alerts on private prescribing or their enforcement.
Department of Health and Social Care
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9 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Require the Government to communicate its understanding of global medicines supply chain risks.
The global supply chain for medicines is complex, with a range of different actors involved in getting medicines from the raw materials to the manufacturer to the patient. The Government needs a clearer understanding and overview of the whole process, … Read more
Government Response
The government discusses its commitment to expanding pharmacy services and promoting the Pharmacy First service, but does not address the recommendation about gaining a clearer understanding of the entire medicines supply chain and communicating it to Parliament.
Department of Health and Social Care
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10 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Commission an independent review of the medicines supply chain, including resilience and generic availability.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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11 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Pharmacy's potential to improve healthcare access requires substantial public funding and support.
We have been encouraged to hear the enthusiasm within the pharmacy profession to deliver more patient facing care. However, the undoubted potential for pharmacy to improve access to health care, crucially including immunisations, and reduce pressure on general practice and … Read more
Government Response
The government details the charging structure for Pharmacy First consultations and prescription medications, and references a 2018 report on over-the-counter medication, instead of addressing the need for increased public funding and support for expanded pharmacy services.
Department of Health and Social Care
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12 Recommendation Acknowledged
Third Report - Pharmacy
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, … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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13 Recommendation Acknowledged
Third Report - Pharmacy
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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14 Conclusion Accepted
Third Report - Pharmacy
Pharmacist capacity in community settings limits the expansion of clinical services.
It is clear that pharmacists are already struggling to find the time they need for consultations with patients in often busy community pharmacy environments with competing priorities, despite their ambition to do more. Future service expansion must be conscious of … Read more
Government Response
The government will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan this summer. It is also reforming pharmacist education and training, providing national funding to expand Designated Prescribing Practitioner capacity, funding training for Pharmacy Technician supervisors, and exploring MPharm student placement funding.
Department of Health and Social Care
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15 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Caution against mandating widespread implementation of hub and spoke systems in pharmacies.
While hub and spoke arrangements may be beneficial to some pharmacies, we do not believe this is a ‘silver bullet’ in terms of efficiencies. We urge the Government not to assume that hub and spoke alone will deliver the extra … Read more
Government Response
The government deflected the recommendation about hub and spoke arrangements by discussing the eligibility of MPharm students for the Learning Support Fund and exploring consistent policy for funding their travel and accommodation costs.
Department of Health and Social Care
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16 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Medicine shortages reinforce public concerns about GP referrals from community pharmacies.
Public concerns about being referred back to the GP if they use community pharmacy to access healthcare should ring alarm bells for the Government. It is encouraging that this does not seem to be the experience within Pharmacy First, but … Read more
Government Response
The government stated that funding for the Additional Role Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) is under review as part of the 2025/26 GP contract arrangements, with final details to be published after the consultation concludes, rather than directly addressing public concerns about GP referrals or medicine shortages.
Department of Health and Social Care
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17 Recommendation Accepted
Third Report - Pharmacy
Commit to ongoing promotion of Pharmacy First to enhance public confidence and education.
As well as addressing medicine shortages and broadening pharmacists’ ability to offer alternatives, to support public confidence and education, the Government should commit to the ongoing promotion of Pharmacy First beyond what has already been announced. Read more
Government Response
The government will publish a refreshed Long-Term Workforce Plan and is implementing strategies to integrate the pharmacy workforce across Integrated Care Systems. This includes introducing rotations for trainee pharmacists from 2025/26 and providing additional funding for clinical training, including independent prescribing.
Department of Health and Social Care
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18 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Support for smaller pharmacies is needed to provide private clinical consultation spaces.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Department of Health and Social Care
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19 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - Pharmacy
Create new Establishment Payment for community pharmacies to develop patient consultation spaces.
We recommend the creation of a new “Establishment Payment” to be paid to eligible community pharmacies to support the development of consultation spaces for patients. This funding should be targeted at pharmacies that are the most reliant on NHS work … Read more
Government Response
The government deflected the recommendation for a new 'Establishment Payment' to support consultation spaces by discussing pharmacy workforce integration within Integrated Care Boards and the ongoing exploration of how to best utilise pharmacy skills for future services.
Department of Health and Social Care
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20 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Pharmacy
Provide free over-the-counter medication for low-income patients through Pharmacy First scheme.
To avoid patients continuing to use GPs for support that could be offered in a community pharmacy setting because of concerns about the affordability of over-the- counter medication, we recommend that such medication is free for people on low incomes, … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, clarifying that prescription-only medications supplied via Pharmacy First are free for those with existing exemptions. However, they refer to a 2018 report which concluded that providing over-the-counter medication free of charge would not offer value for money.
Department of Health and Social Care
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21 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Pharmacy
Require Government to detail progress on Pharmacy First digital product rollout and interoperability.
When responding to this report, we ask that the Government sets out what progress has been made on rolling out the full digital product for the documentation of Pharmacy First consultations, including the percentage of community pharmacies that have fully … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to provide progress updates on Pharmacy First digital capabilities, detailing rollout percentages and timelines for electronic referrals and record updates. However, it explicitly rejects enabling full read/write access to patient records for community pharmacies due to NHS England policy.
Department of Health and Social Care
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22 Recommendation Accepted
Third Report - Pharmacy
Mandate Pharmacy First evaluation assesses digital systems' data sharing for patient safety and care.
We recommend that the ongoing evaluation of Pharmacy First includes an assessment of the extent to which pharmacy and general practice digital systems are enabling the necessary data sharing to protect patient safety and ensure continuity of care.
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that the National Institute for Health and Care Research study evaluating Pharmacy First includes a specific line of inquiry to review the effectiveness of GP minor illness referrals and data exchange between pharmacy and general practice to inform future service developments.
Department of Health and Social Care
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23 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Pharmacy
Strategic oversight lacking for widespread adoption of automation in hospital medicines management.
There are clearly benefits to be found from using automation and technology particularly within hospital medicines management. These benefits could unlock gains in productivity, improve patient safety and free up pharmacist time to work more directly with patients. There are … Read more
Government Response
The government will consider the recommendation for a more strategic view for how medicines are managed in hospitals as part of the development of the 10 Year Health Plan and how this can be applied to Trusts across England.
Department of Health and Social Care
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24 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Pharmacy
Commission independent review into hospital medicines management, focusing on automation and digital systems.
We recommend that an independent review is commissioned to explore hospital medicines management, to report within one year. The review should make recommendations, particularly around how the potential of automation and technological systems like connected medication management could be realised … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation, committing to explore opportunities for technology use and consider the recommendation as part of developing a 10-Year Health Plan objective, rather than commissioning an independent review within one year.
Department of Health and Social Care
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25 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Third Report - Pharmacy
Insufficient placements and financial support threaten NHS Long Term Pharmacy Workforce Plan targets.
The lack of access to placements, supervisors and adequate financial support is a serious challenge, which could undermine efforts to meet the pharmacy targets set out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. If those ambitions are to be met, … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, committing to publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan this summer and detailing ongoing funding from NHS England to expand supervisor capacity. They also note MPharm students' eligibility for clinical tariff since 2021 and are exploring a consistent policy for placement travel and accommodation costs.
Department of Health and Social Care
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26 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Pharmacy
Update Learning Support Fund eligibility to include pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
We recommend that the list of healthcare professionals able to access the Learning Support Fund is updated to include pharmacists and technicians. (Paragraph 140) Pharmacy 47
Government Response
The government partially accepts, explaining that MPharm students are currently outside the Learning Support Fund's scope due to prior reforms. They commit to consider eligible professions for the fund as part of the refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan and are exploring a consistent policy for MPharm students' placement travel and accommodation costs.
Department of Health and Social Care
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27 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Pharmacy
Review ARRS funding criteria within three months to retain community pharmacists.
The criteria connected to Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) funding should be reviewed within 3 months to understand whether any additional flexibility could reduce the drain of community pharmacists into primary care networks. The Government should write to us with … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, stating that the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme funding is currently under review as part of the consultation on 2025/26 GP contract arrangements, with final details to be published after conclusion.
Department of Health and Social Care
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28 Conclusion Accepted
Third Report - Pharmacy
Greater strategic planning needed for the evolving pharmacy workforce and integrated services.
Greater planning and forward thinking continues to be needed around the full pharmacy workforce, accounting for changing roles in the community, increasing demand in hospitals and supporting ICBs to build “one pharmacy workforce” that can be deployed across the full … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the need for greater pharmacy workforce planning, stating that the refreshed Long-Term Workforce Plan, due in summer, will provide a longer-term view. They highlight upcoming rotations for trainee pharmacists from 2025/2026 and ongoing funding for clinical training to support an integrated workforce.
Department of Health and Social Care
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29 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Third Report - Pharmacy
Develop and publish an integrated, funded pharmacy workforce plan before Parliament within 12 months.
We reiterate that an integrated and funded workforce plan for pharmacy must be developed and laid before Parliament within 12 months. This should focus upon delivery of the targets set out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. The pharmacy … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation, stating it will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan and is committed to growing the pharmacy workforce. NHS England is implementing strategies for independent prescribers, piloting services, and developing a 5-year pharmacy technician development programme.
Department of Health and Social Care
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30 Recommendation Accepted
Third Report - Pharmacy
Ensure national and ICB workforce planning establishes appropriate skill mix in all pharmacy settings.
We further recommend that any workforce planning, be it at a national or ICB level, should ensure the appropriate and safe and mix of skills in all settings, including hospital wards as highlighted by Dr James Davies of the Royal … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that a 'one pharmacy workforce approach' will be supported by national and regional coordination, planning, data, and guidance. They are continuing to explore how to best utilise skill sets in community pharmacy for Pharmacy First and future prescribing services.
Department of Health and Social Care
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Government Response AI assessment · 30 of 20 classified
Accepted 6
Accepted in Part 8
Acknowledged 5
Deferred 11
Total 20 recs + 10 conclusions