Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will undertake a review of the (a) funding model and (b) role of community pharmacies.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system. The Government is committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and to better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists.

By 2026 all newly qualified pharmacists will have a prescribing qualification, with additional investment in upskilling the existing workforce to also become independent prescribers. NHS England is currently piloting how prescribing can work in community pharmacy in all integrated care boards, supporting a range of conditions. These pathfinders will then inform any future decisions about the service.

We will shortly be resuming our consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding the funding arrangements for community pharmacy.