Commenting on the Government’s Spending Review, Professor Claire Anderson, RPS President, said:
“Today’s Spending Review is a testament to the crucial role of our health service and how patient access to care is consistently seen by the public as one of the most pressing issues facing our nation.
“All eyes will now be turning to the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan and there are key questions for how pharmacists and all health professions will be enabled to help deliver the NHS of the future.
“While the latest community pharmacy funding settlement is a vote of confidence in the sector, we must acknowledge that ongoing economic pressures on pharmacies continue to bite. The sector still needs fair and sustainable resourcing in the longer term to bridge the funding gap so it can deliver the Government’s ambitions.
“We have seen some welcome progress with Pharmacy First and, with the right support and investment, an enhanced community pharmacist prescribing service will help deliver the Government’s ambition to deliver more care in the community.
“This should come alongside an upgrade to digital systems in hospital pharmacy, including the long-overdue roll-out of electronic prescribing.
“There has been positive progress on issues such as pharmacy student access to the Learning Support Fund and this is a welcome recognition by the Government of the crucial role of pharmacists in the future NHS.
“This is all set against the backdrop of significant changes in healthcare structures up and down the country. With the abolition of NHS England and Integrated Care Boards being asked to make substantial cuts, pharmacy system leaders must continue to be supported to help develop new services, ensure the best use of resources, and deliver some of the savings the NHS needs.
“Medicines are a fundamental part of the health service and the UK’s life sciences success story. As it develops a 10-Year-Health-Plan, the Government must consider how to resource and enable pharmacists to help deliver new treatments and support the best use of medicines across the system.”
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