Pharmacy: Finance

Department of Health written question – answered at on 13 October 2016.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Tom Brake Tom Brake Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Foreign Affairs), Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to pharmacy funding on the availability of essential medicines.

Photo of Tom Brake Tom Brake Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Foreign Affairs), Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes in pharmacy funding on waiting times for NHS prescriptions.

Photo of Craig Mackinlay Craig Mackinlay Conservative, South Thanet

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of proposed reductions in pharmacy funding on specific patient populations.

Photo of Justin Madders Justin Madders Shadow Minister (Health)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of proposed changes to pharmacy funding on the provision of supplementary hours beyond the core NHS contract.

Photo of Steve Double Steve Double Conservative, St Austell and Newquay

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the likely effect on accident and emergency services of the proposed changes to the pharmacy funding formula.

Photo of Julie Cooper Julie Cooper Shadow Minister (Health) (Community Health)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of proposed changes to pharmacy funding on (a) patients accessing services distant from where they live and (b) working age adults who travel considerable distance to work.

Photo of Justin Madders Justin Madders Shadow Minister (Health)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of proposed changes to pharmacy funding on home delivery of NHS prescriptions.

Photo of Kevin Barron Kevin Barron Chair, Committee of Privileges, Chair, Committee on Standards, Chair, Committee of Privileges, Chair, Committee on Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of proposed reductions in the level of community pharmacy funding on the adequacy of provision of pharmaceutical advice and reassurance to members of the public.

Photo of Kevin Barron Kevin Barron Chair, Committee of Privileges, Chair, Committee on Standards, Chair, Committee of Privileges, Chair, Committee on Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of proposed reductions in the level of community pharmacy funding on the support available for frail and elderly people to live independently in their own homes.

Photo of Craig Mackinlay Craig Mackinlay Conservative, South Thanet

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what forecast he has made of the effect of demographic changes on the level of requirement for the community pharmacy network over the next five years; what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in pharmacy funding on the ability of the community pharmacy network to meet that requirement; and what planning his Department has undertaken to ensure that the future level of requirement can be met.

Photo of David Mowat David Mowat The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health

The Government’s proposals for community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond, on which we have consulted, are being considered against the public sector equality duty, the family test and the relevant duties of my Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, under the National Health Service Act 2006.

Our assessments include consideration of the potential impacts on the adequate provision of NHS pharmaceutical services, including the supply of medicines, access to NHS pharmaceutical services, supplementary hours, non-commissioned services, individuals with protected characteristics, impacts on other NHS services, health inequalities, individuals with restricted mobility and access to healthcare for deprived communities.

An impact assessment will be completed to inform final decisions and published in due course.

Our proposals are about improving services for patients and the public and securing efficiencies and savings. We believe these efficiencies can be made within community pharmacy without compromising the quality of services or public access to them.

Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive. We are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared with others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population.

We want a clinically focussed community pharmacy service that is better integrated with primary care and public health in line with the Five Year Forward View. This will help relieve the pressure on general practitioners and accident and emergency departments, ensure better use of medicines and better patient outcomes, and contribute to delivering seven day health and care services.

The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England, Dr Keith Ridge has commissioned an independent review of community pharmacy clinical services. The review is being led by Richard Murray, Director of Policy at The King’s Fund. The final recommendations will be considered as part of the development of clinical and cost effective patient care by pharmacists and their teams.

NHS England is also setting up a Pharmacy Integration Fund to support the development of clinical pharmacy practice in a wider range of primary care settings, resulting in a more integrated and effective NHS primary care patient pathway.

The rollout of the additional 1,500 clinical pharmacists announced by NHS England will help to ease current pressures in general practice by working with patients who have long term conditions and others with multiple medications. Having a pharmacist on site will mean that patients who receive care from their general practice will be able to benefit from the expertise in medicines that these pharmacists provide.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes2 people think so

No2 people think not

Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.