Community Pharmacy in 2016-17 and Beyond

Baroness Hayman of Ullock Excerpts

1st reading: House of Commons
Thursday 20th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sue Hayman (Workington) (Lab)]

Allison’s pharmacy in Cockermouth in my constituency helps to promote good health because it has a deep knowledge of the patients and their families. My concern is that, as a small pharmacy, it will be under more pressure from these cuts than the larger ones will be locally. Does the Minister recognise this pressure? Does he also recognise the vital community role that local pharmacies can play?

[David Mowat]

I repeat that we absolutely recognise the vital role that community pharmacies can play, and we want to make them move towards an even more vital role by providing more services, which is what pharmacies want to do, rather than getting all their money from their dispensing activities, as they do at the moment. High quality pharmacies will be in a position to really prosper in the new world that we are talking about.