Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the (a) financial viability of the community pharmacy network in England and (b) adequacy of the interim covid-19 support package provided to that network; and if he will make a statement.

The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework five-year deal, agreed in 2019 with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), commits £2.592 billion annually to the sector. Maintaining access to pharmaceutical services is a priority for the Government and the Department continues to closely monitor the market. Discussions are ongoing with the PSNC about additional funding for costs incurred during the pandemic. As part of its ongoing assessment of COVID-19 costs incurred by the sector, the Government will take account of the £370 million increased advance payments paid to community pharmacies

The COVID-19 support package for community pharmacy also included general COVID-19 business financial support, funding for Bank Holiday openings, social distancing measures, the medicine delivery service to shielded patients and free personal protective equipment; as well as non-monetary support, including the removal of some administrative tasks, flexibility in opening hours and the delayed introduction of new services.