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
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
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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
11 results
Clear
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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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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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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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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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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Government Response AI assessment · 30 of 20 classified
Accepted 6
Accepted in Part 8
Acknowledged 5
Deferred 11
Total 20 recs + 10 conclusions