Public Health Minister Dame Diana Johnson has affirmed her strong personal backing for community pharmacy, describing herself as a "big fan" of the profession and praising its clinical frontline contribution during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.
Speaking at a panel event organised by Community Pharmacy England (CPE) in partnership with the think tank Re:State, Dame Diana addressed how the government's vision of a community-centric healthcare model can be put into practice.
The Minister welcomed the 2026/27 CPCF agreement finalised under her predecessor - pointing specifically to the rollout of pharmacist independent prescribing as a core foundation - and initiated calls for a structured dialogue on future contractual reform.
Crucially, Dame Diana called for greater flexibility in commissioning, urging health systems to adapt clinical services to the distinct needs of local communities alongside national service frameworks. She pledged to collaborate directly with Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to ensure pharmacy is embedded within neighbourhood health teams and the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan.
CPE Chief Executive Janet Morrison highlighted community pharmacy's role as "the definition of accessible, equitable healthcare," noting that expanding clinical services relieve severe pressure across primary care while commanding deep public trust. However, Morrison warned that neighbourhood health strategies must build pragmatically on existing pharmacy footprints rather than reinventing referral routes:
"Neighbourhood health should build on existing assets and patient pathways and community pharmacies’ relationships with patients, and this would need the right incentives and investment in innovation and infrastructure."
Her warnings were reinforced by Josh Fenton-Glynn MP, a member of the parliamentary Health and Social Care Committee, who cautioned that previous policy initiatives attempting to shift clinical activity out of hospitals had faltered because resources never followed the patient into primary care.
Pointing to the COVID-19 vaccination drive, Fenton-Glynn highlighted how stripping away administrative friction allowed community providers to deliver care rapidly at scale.
The discussion unfolded alongside wider conference themes, including Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s proposals for a universal, publicly funded National Care Service and Yvette Cooper's focus on maternal and early-years care pathways.
Throughout the conference, CPE delegates met with Cabinet members, MPs, and patient advocacy groups - including Diabetes UK, the Epilepsy Society, the Stroke Association, the Royal Society for Public Health, and the Patients Association - to press home the case for sustainable core funding.
Reflecting on the conference engagement, Janet Morrison stated: “It has been hugely valuable to engage with Ministers, MPs, policymakers, and stakeholders from across the health and care sector over the past few days and to be part of wider health policy debate.
“One year on from the publication of the 10 Year Health Plan, this has been an important opportunity to show how community pharmacies can help address some of the Government’s key healthcare priorities such as improving access, addressing health inequalities and delivering more care in the community.
“We have had plenty of valuable discussions on these issues and look forward to continuing these conversations with Ministers, policymakers and stakeholders beyond the conference. Our focus remains on securing the support needed to unlock the full potential of community pharmacy for patients and local communities.”
