The written evidence was submitted by the PDA to inform the committee about how pharmacists based in community pharmacy premises could help the government in the delivery of its vision for a ‘Neighbourhood Health Service’.
Included in the PDA’s evidence were references to long-standing policies concerning the better and more effective use of the clinical skills of pharmacists, based on the trust that patients have in the profession. The PDA’s evidence provided data around recently introduced services such as the Pharmacy First Service and Covid-19 vaccinations to demonstrate public willingness to receive care and treatment from pharmacists in community pharmacy settings.
The PDA’s evidence also focused on the need for pharmacy premises to be considered as part of the NHS estate and that each pharmacy would need extra consulting rooms and extra workforce capacity to deliver more neighbourhood services.
In particular, the PDA noted that as the biggest UK-wide membership organisation for pharmacists it has been excluded from negotiations when new services are introduced. This exclusion in the past led to services such as Pharmacy First being introduced within inappropriate timeframes and adding pressure on an already stretched workforce.
The PDA also reiterated its support for a fair remuneration model for pharmacy owners but said that it was crucial that any uplift in funding was ring‑fenced so that additional funding was used specifically for improving premises, expanding clinical capacity, and supporting the recruitment of second pharmacists and additional support staff.
Read about the Inquiry here.
Read the evidence submitted by the PDA here.
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