Commenting on the appointment of Thérèse Coffey as new Health and Social Care Secretary, CCA CEO Malcolm Harrison said:
“We welcome the appointment of Thérèse Coffey as the new Health and Social Care Secretary. The Secretary of State will find that community pharmacies are invariably solutions providers, as proven by their heroic actions during and since the pandemic. While pharmacies stand ready to support the Secretary of State in busting the backlog but are under incredible pressures of their own.
The NHS must urgently undertake a holistic look at primary care to ensure resources are directed where they deliver the most benefit to patients. This must be underpinned by a fully funded and integrated workforce plan.
Community pharmacy needs immediate investment. It’s clear that a real-terms cut in funding spanning eight years is having a deeply concerning impact on the sector’s ability to care for patients. It is only with investment that community pharmacy’s full potential can be realised so it can deliver more for patients and ensure the best value for taxpayers”.