Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) said:
“We welcome the publication of the Darzi report and the extensive work which has laid bare the perilous position the NHS and community pharmacy finds itself in.
The report recognises our long-held concerns about dwindling patient access as pharmacy closures continue to ramp up, particularly in areas of deprivation. The 30% real terms cut in funding since 2015 has led to the loss of 1,200+ pharmacies in England1. We need immediate action to stop the rot.
Whilst the report finds that productivity in the NHS has dropped, we know the reverse is true of community pharmacy, despite a shrinking funding pot. Between 2017/182 and 2023/243, the number of items dispensed each year grew by over 100m. In the same period, the number of clinical services delivered in community pharmacies increased by over 115%4 with community pharmacies delivering over 12m services in 2023/245.
The review rightly points out that there is huge potential to harness the clinical capabilities of pharmacists. Expansion of Pharmacy First, which the report describes as a “notable success” is key – a fully-fledged service could free up 30m+ GP appointments each year.
Similarly, pharmacies can play an even bigger role in administering vaccinations as the report rightly highlights concerns around declining uptake.
An expanded role for community pharmacy is only possible if there is action to protect the existing community pharmacy network through additional investment. We wholeheartedly support a greater proportion of NHS funding being directed to community settings.
We hope that the report’s findings spur action before it is too late, and patients lose access to the local pharmacies that they have come to rely on.”
References:
1 – CCA. Record loss of 432 pharmacies over the past year, April 2024
2 – NHS Business Services Authority, General Pharmaceutical Services in England 2015/16 – 2022/23, October 2023. Available here
3 – NHS Business Services Authority, Dispensing contractors’ data, April 2023-March 2024. Available here
4 – CCA, The Pharmacy Paradox: Matching Ambition to Reality, May 2023. Available here
5 – NHS Business Services Authority, Dispensing contractors’ data, April 2023-March 2024. Available here