Pharmacy
Health and Social Care Committee
Closed
Inquiry
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
2025
Report published
29 May
2024
2024
Report published
26 Mar
2024
2024
Oral evidence
26 Mar
2024
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
19 Feb
2024
2024
Oral evidence
19 Feb
2024
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
16 Jan
2024
2024
Oral evidence
16 Jan
2024
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
21 Nov
2023
2023
Oral evidence
21 Nov
2023
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
26 Mar 2024
View on parliament.uk
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
View on parliament.uk
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
View on parliament.uk
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
View on parliament.uk
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
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Third Report - Pharmacy | HC 140 | 29 May 2024 | 30 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
5 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
View details
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
View details
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
View details
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
View details
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
View details