Community Pharmacy England (CPE) hosted a roundtable, in partnership with the think tank Re:State, on ‘Community centric: accessible, equitable healthcare closer to home’ during the recent Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton.
The event brought together politicians, health policy experts and patient representatives to consider what a genuinely community-centric NHS could look like, and the role pharmacy can play in making this a reality if it has the right investment and support.
The CPE highlighted the contribution pharmacies are already making and the need to fund and support community pharmacies so that they can fulfil their full potential.
The discussion was attended by Liberal Democrats primary care spokesperson Helen Maguire MP and attendees heard about the party’s vision for a health and care system that puts communities at its centre.
The roundtable explored a range of perspectives on what neighbourhood health means in practice and how community pharmacy can and must be at the heart of it.
Attendees talked about the positive pharmacy services they have witnessed and how to overcome the structural challenges facing the health and care system, including through greater collaboration, innovation and a stronger role for community-based services.
Liberal Democrat members supported their party's document "A Liberal Vision for Primary Healthcare", which specifically references a desire to “Supercharge Pharmacy First”.
It calls for the integration of community pharmacy services into the NHS App for 24/7 booking, and putting local pharmacies on a sustainable financial footing.
CPE Chief Executive Janet Morrison said: “We attended the Liberal Democrat Conference to speak with MPs about the vital role community pharmacy plays as an accessible front door to the NHS for local communities. Highlighting the benefits that pharmacies already provide, we described their potential to meet more patients’ needs in the future.
"But we also discussed the pressures facing community pharmacy and what will be needed to realise the ambitions of the NHS 10 Year Plan. Those ambitions are significant, but important questions remain about the funding and infrastructure required.”
The CPE said it will continue making the case for community pharmacy with policy influencers from across the political spectrum, with further events due to be held at other political party conferences this autumn.
