DH rejects HSCC's Pharmacy Funding Review Report

The government has stated that the independent expert panel's assessment ‘requires improvement’ following the review of community pharmacy funding

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) today (19 October) issued its official response to an evaluation conducted by an independent expert panel from the Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) regarding government commitments in the pharmacy sector.

The joint agreement between DHSC, NHSE, and CPE (Community Pharmacy England) under a five-year plan commitment to review the funding model, however, the current status is “continue to monitor and discuss progress”.

The government has claimed that the panel’s rating has “not been met” and still “requires improvement”.

However, the funding “remains subject to affordability and consultation with the sector on the activity that can be delivered within that funding envelope”.

Moreover, an additional of £100 million has been allocated to community pharmacies over the past year and the preceding one.

The Delivery Plan for restoring primary care access has introduced funding of up to £645 million for a new Pharmacy First service and the expansion of existing services like Blood Pressure Checks and Contraception.

NHSE has also committed to an Economic Analysis of the sector which will include the cost of providing NHS pharmaceutical services and of the future funding arrangements.

The expert panel's review of the government's pharmacy promises released in September this year was highly critical.

The independent panel selected nine commitments in five policy areas to evaluate the government's efforts to enhance the involvement of pharmacies and pharmacy professionals in healthcare.

• Community pharmacy
• Integrated care, including patient safety
• Hospital pharmacy
• Workforce education and training
• Extended services

Back in January, NHSE initiated a quest to find an independent supplier for a thorough examination of the financial status of pharmacy contractors.

This review aimed to assess the efficiency of delivering services through community pharmacies, as opposed to offering them within primary care and the broader NHS.