Commenting on the reappointment of Steve Barclay as the Health and Social Care Secretary, a CCA spokesperson said:
“We welcome the reappointment of Steve Barclay as the Health and Social Care Secretary. Mr Barclay rebegins his role at a crucial time for the pharmacy sector. The Secretary of State will find that community pharmacies are invariably solutions providers and can take positive steps forward to relieve pressures across the sector.
We are encouraged that the Health Secretary previously worked on a ‘Pharmacy First’ model, however pharmacies need immediate investment for this plan to be realised.
The NHS must put patients back in control and urgently undertake a holistic review of primary care. This will ensure resources are directed where they deliver the most benefit to patients. However, any review must be underpinned by a fully funded and integrated workforce plan.
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. Our research shows that, permanent closures are happening at a concerning rate in areas of deprivation, with 41% of permanent closures since 2015 occurring in the 20% most deprived areas of England. 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.”