Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what medications have been reimbursed to community pharmacies below the market price for pharmacy procurement in (a) 2021, (b) 2022, (c) 2023 and (d) 2024.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson

The information requested is not held centrally. Community pharmacy reimbursement arrangements, set out in the Drug Tariff, are not designed to pay every individual pharmacy the cost, or more than the cost, of the medicine. This means that at an individual level, there will be instances where a pharmacy pays more than they are reimbursed, and other instances where they are paid less than they are reimbursed.

The medicine margin survey assesses the amount of medicine margin, the difference between the reimbursement price and the price the pharmacy was charged by the supplier, retained by community pharmacies. The survey has found that overall, more than the amount agreed as part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework, has been delivered in total across the previous four financial years.

In addition to this, where a number of pharmacies cannot purchase at or below the Drug Tariff reimbursement price, the Department considers concessionary price requests that come directly from the Community Pharmacy England, on behalf of community pharmacies. From 1 April 2024, we introduced a new retrospective top-up payment for concessionary prices, providing an additional payment to contractors when the margin survey indicates that despite a concessionary price, there was an under payment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of the number of pharmacies that have closed in Coventry North West constituency since 2019; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of pharmacy closures on primary care standards.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom

On 31 December 2023, there were 22 pharmacies in Coventry North West constituency, including one distance selling pharmacy. Between 31 December 2019 and 31 December 2023, two pharmacies closed in Coventry North West and no new pharmacies opened. However, access to pharmaceutical services remains good, with 97% of the population of Coventry North West living within a 20-minute walk from a pharmacy. This exceeds the national average of 80%. Residents of Coventry North West can also access services from distance selling pharmacies that operate nationally.

It is the role of local authorities in England to undertake pharmaceutical needs assessments for their areas, every three years, to ensure provision continues to meet their population’s needs. Integrated care boards (ICBs) have regard to those assessments when commissioning services and where a pharmacy closure impacts on the access to services, a new contractor can apply to open a pharmacy in the area.

Services within the National Health Service delivered in community pharmacy can have a positive impact on secondary care. For example, the Discharge Medicines Service and the New Medicine Service provide patients with extra support for medicines preventing (re)hospitalisation. Urgent and emergency care settings can also refer patients to community pharmacies for a minor illness consultation or an urgent medicine supply, taking the pressure off secondary care. Increasing the impact of these services, which are already commissioned in community pharmacies, will require continued embedding of referral in secondary care pathways.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increasing funding for community pharmacies on funding for secondary care.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom

On 31 December 2023, there were 22 pharmacies in Coventry North West constituency, including one distance selling pharmacy. Between 31 December 2019 and 31 December 2023, two pharmacies closed in Coventry North West and no new pharmacies opened. However, access to pharmaceutical services remains good, with 97% of the population of Coventry North West living within a 20-minute walk from a pharmacy. This exceeds the national average of 80%. Residents of Coventry North West can also access services from distance selling pharmacies that operate nationally.

It is the role of local authorities in England to undertake pharmaceutical needs assessments for their areas, every three years, to ensure provision continues to meet their population’s needs. Integrated care boards (ICBs) have regard to those assessments when commissioning services and where a pharmacy closure impacts on the access to services, a new contractor can apply to open a pharmacy in the area.

Services within the National Health Service delivered in community pharmacy can have a positive impact on secondary care. For example, the Discharge Medicines Service and the New Medicine Service provide patients with extra support for medicines preventing (re)hospitalisation. Urgent and emergency care settings can also refer patients to community pharmacies for a minor illness consultation or an urgent medicine supply, taking the pressure off secondary care. Increasing the impact of these services, which are already commissioned in community pharmacies, will require continued embedding of referral in secondary care pathways.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to publish her response to her Department's call for evidence on Variations in sex characteristics, which closed on 28 March 2019.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Opposition Chief Whip (Commons)

It is important to understand the experiences of people living with VSC, as well as the impacts on their family and support networks. In order to understand these experiences, it is vital that research and first hand testimony be conducted and made widely available.

That is why the Government is currently monitoring and considering evidence and research specific to people living with VSC, including the evidence provided through the call for evidence. We hope to be in a position to publish the findings of the review in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Statutory Guidance on Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education will include (a) variations in sex characteristics and (b) intersex.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education

Compulsory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) should help pupils to understand that society consists of a diverse range of people. The department is currently consulting on updated RSHE guidance, with a view to finalising it later in the year. The consultation runs until 11 July 2024 and can be found at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/rshe-team/review-of-the-rshe-statutory-guidance/.

The draft guidance includes a requirement that pupils should be taught about equality and the law relating to the protected characteristics by the end of their secondary education. The guidance is also clear that pupils should be taught the importance of respecting others, even when they are very different from them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing guidance to health professionals on (a) advice and (b) other support for parents of unborn babies with (i) intersex conditions and (ii) other variations in sex characteristics.

Answered by Maria Caulfield

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Found: Maskell MP (Labour (Co-op), York Central ) James Morris MP (Conservative, Halesowen and Rowley Regis ) Taiwo

Found: Maskell MP (Labour (Co-op), York Central ) James Morris MP (Conservative, Halesowen and Rowley Regis ) Taiwo

Found: Maskell MP (Labour (Co-op), York Central ) James Morris MP (Conservative, Halesowen and Rowley Regis ) Taiwo