The Health and Social Care Committee has published the Government’s response to its Inquiry report on pharmacy.

The new Committee Chair Layla Moran MP has noted that before the general election cross-party Committee had called on the Government to act ‘at pace’ to address the pressing issues on funding, medicine shortages and challenges in the workforce.  

RPS Director for England and Wales, Elen Jones said:

“Pharmacists and pharmacy teams play a crucial role across the health service and this was rightly recognised during the Committee’s Inquiry. With the Government’s response stating that pharmacy is a ‘key priority’, words must now be backed by action in the 10-Year Health Plan and new workforce plan expected later this year.

“At the same time, pharmacists and pharmacy teams are under significant pressure and many will share the Committee Chair’s concern that additional support is needed now.

“I welcome the Government’s commitment to make the most of the next generation of pharmacist prescribers, which will help deliver its ambition to treat people closer to home. Unlocking the potential of pharmacist prescribing will need sustained investment in IT systems, workforce and a prescribing budget.

“As the Government looks to develop a ‘Neighbourhood Health Service’, I would urge ministers to act on the Committee’s recommendation to widen access to PrEP via community pharmacy and ensure that this is delivered through the forthcoming HIV Action Plan.

“As pharmacists play a more clinical role in the health service, our evidence to the Committee highlighted the injustice facing pharmacy students excluded from the Learning Support Fund. If we are to attract and retain the pharmacists we need to meet demand, this inequity at the very start of their career journey must be addressed.

“Patient groups, pharmacists and other health professionals continue to warn about the impact of medicines shortages and I welcome the Committee’s focus on this issue. We have long called for pharmacists to be able to make appropriate substitutions to help manage medicines shortages – this was set out in our evidence to the Inquiry and reiterated in our comprehensive report. With the Government response accepting that there may be occasions where it is appropriate to enable further flexibility, we look forward to progressing this further.”

Find out more about our evidence to the Committee’s Pharmacy Inquiry.

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