Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to support 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 as we shift care from hospital to the community.

Pharmacy First has built on existing services to increase the clinical scope of the treatment and advice patients can receive. The conditions treated under the Pharmacy First offer will continue to be kept under review.

The Government recently resumed its consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding funding arrangements.