The NPA fears the report won’t be published until pharmacy funding consultations conclude, while CPE states there is no set timeline for finalising negotiations.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called on the NHS and the Department of Health to immediately publish the government-commissioned analysis of pharmacy underfunding and reveal the true scale of the crisis.
Commissioned by NHS England, the long-awaited independent review is expected to “lay bare the perilous financial state” of community pharmacies, which is a vital part of the nation’s health infrastructure.
However, the NPA is concerned that the government may delay its release until after current funding consultations are concluded.
The NPA argued that the public needs to understand the fragile nature of the pharmacy network before any new deal can be agreed.
It has also warned health officials not to hide “the true scale of funding needed to reverse a decade of swingeing cuts”, which has forced record numbers of pharmacy closures.
NPA chair Nick Kaye said: “It would be a scandal to keep that evidence buried secret and leave MPs, pharmacies and the public in the dark.”
He acknowledged that the new government has inherited a crisis in pharmacy funding and emphasised that it will need to take “strong action” to maintain access to medicines.
Highlighting that pharmacies are closing at an alarming rate and those that remain are being forced to cut opening hours to stay open, he called for “full and immediate transparency about the funding required to protect the pharmacy network upon which millions rely.”
The association has demanded an urgent resolution to budget discussions to ensure that much-needed funds reach hard pressed pharmacies.
“Pharmacies need an urgent conclusion to consultations on pharmacy funding that protects the network that is so vital to millions of people. They cannot wait,” Kaye said.
Work to influence government spending ongoing, says CPE
Meanwhile, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has confirmed to Pharmacy Business that negotiations on the 2024/25 and 2025/26 funding framework are ongoing, with no definitive timeline set for their conclusion.
“This item in the 2025/26 workplan (which commences in April 2025) relates to work which goes into negotiations, analysis, and any necessary implementation work. Implementation work can go on for many months, depending on what is agreed, and work to influence Government spending is ongoing,” CPE stated.
When launching the funding consultation in January, pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with CPE to agree “a package of funding that is reflective of the important support that they provide to patients up and down the country.”
CPE chief executive Janet Morrison had said the committee would very carefully consider whether “the proposals that the government is putting on the table address the severity of the funding crisis in community pharmacy.”
She noted that while community pharmacy sector can play a vital role in delivering government’s long term health plans, this will only be possible if “the sector is put on a sustainable financial footing.”
Sukhi Basra
