Julie Cooper MP pictured with the team at the LloydsPharmacy branch in Burnley
The CCA has been engaging with MPs across all parties in recent months as part of our work to help parliamentarians better understand the role of community pharmacy. Following the recent debate in parliament about Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs), we wrote to MPs to help explain the way in which they are intended to work in practice, why they would be needed and how community pharmacy teams would work closely with GPs to ensure the continued safe supply of medicines.
We also met with Julie Cooper MP, the Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, in her constituency to brief her on the potential of community pharmacy to deliver services and how we work collaboratively with sector partners to ensure the future vitality and viability of the sector.
Julie saw first-hand the important work that two CCA community pharmacy teams are doing, such as supporting the delivery of the NHS Urgent Medicines Supply Advance Service (NUMSAS).
We will be continuing with our programme of engagement work with MPs. We will be opening up dialogue and helping parliamentarians across all parties to understand the role of community pharmacy and why a long-term funding settlement is needed for us to achieve our full potential for patients and the NHS.
The CCA is also a co-funder of the secretariat for the Pharmacy All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), which raises awareness of pharmacy, promoting pharmacists’ current and potential contribution to the nation’s health.
The APPG holds evidence sessions into key issues affecting community pharmacy and produces reports with key recommendations that are shared with the Pharmacy Minister. Recent topics have included primary and community care, and the next session will focus on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).