Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to directly invest in the work of community pharmacies and further increase the benefit they have to local communities.

The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-24 five-year deal commits £2.592 billion each year to the sector and outlines the joint vision of the Government, NHS England, and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee for how community pharmacy will become more integrated into the National Health Service, deliver more clinical services, and become the first port of call for minor illnesses.

In September 2022, following negotiation with the sector, we announced an additional one-off £100 million investment into pharmacy for the remainder of the five-year deal. This most recent agreement continues the expansion of the services offered by community pharmacies to local communities.

We continue to discuss with the sector what more community pharmacies could do, making use of their valuable skills for the benefit of patients and the NHS.