Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage more general practices in (a) Enfield North, (b) Greater London, and (c) England to sign up to the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service.
As part of the 2021/2022 GP Contract Investment and Impact Fund, Primary Care Networks are being incentivised to develop and deliver a plan to increase referrals to the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service. To receive this funding, Primary Care Networks must increase referral levels by 31 March 2022.
In addition, in October 2021, NHS England launched a £250 million Winter Access Fund for general practice. Participation in the Community Pharmacy Consultation Service is a condition of a practice being able to benefit from the Winter Access Fund.