Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of funding for community pharmacy services for 2025–26 and its adequacy to maintain current standards of service in rural areas.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system. We are 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.

Now that the budget for Government has been set, we will shortly be resuming our consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding the funding arrangements.