Pharmacies: Rural Areas

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Tuesday 10th September 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The noble Baroness makes a good point about the shortage of medicines; this has been raised many times in your Lordships’ House. I will ensure that my colleague Ministers are aware of the points raised today, to build these into our consideration of how we support pharmacists and pharmacies to continue to do a good job and, indeed, expand their remit.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)]

Does the Minister agree that part of the problem around access to rural pharmacies is the massive deterioration of bus services under the previous Government? Since our Government are going to give powers to local councils to run bus services more efficiently and effectively, will that not improve access to local rural pharmacies? Can the Minister ensure that that is done as quickly as possible?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I welcome the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport about ensuring that bus services can be more readily available, which will assist access to pharmacies. However, there are other options that we need to continue to look at. For example, there are 400 distance-selling pharmacies that deliver medicines which they dispense free of charge to patients, and provide other pharmaceutical services remotely, and, as we know, GP practices can dispense medicines to their patients. I mention those as examples of more creative ways in which we can support people in rural areas.