Irreversible damage to the pharmacy network in England will lead to the closure of some pharmacies following the pandemic unless there is urgent Government financial support, a group of MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy has revealed in a report launching on Monday 14 December
The flash inquiry conducted by the APPG, including a survey of 1,604 pharmacy professionals, found that while pharmacy teams have been responding to the pandemic in heroic fashion, remaining open throughout and ensuring the safe supply of medicines to the public, the sector is being pushed to breaking point because of unprecedented operational and financial pressures.
The potential for pharmacy to have an even greater impact to the health of the population and do more to support under pressure GPs was highlighted by the way pharmacies adapted and innovated to deliver a vital lifeline to communities throughout the pandemic. MPs heard that 9 in 10 members of the pharmacy workforce feel their place of work is under financial pressure and nearly half of pharmacy contractors (or owners) warn they could close within a year.
A survey of 1,604 pharmacy professionals found:
More than 9 in 10 (95%) felt that their place of work was under financial pressure.
Almost half the owners felt it was either very likely, likely, or somewhat likely that their pharmacy would be forced to close within a year
1 in 5 pharmacy owners feeling that it was likely or very likely that their pharmacy would close in the coming year.
Nearly 8 out of every 10 pharmacy owners felt that the financial support offered so far - a loan of £370m to help ease cashflow, but may need to be paid back - has not been enough to mitigate financial pressures
Urgent calls for asymptomatic testing with 8 in 10 respondents saying they did not have access to any
91% felt the Government did not appreciate the role of pharmacy in frontline healthcare
Evidence showed:
Without action, financial pressure will cause irreparable damage to England’s pharmacies, large and small.
The current funding levels – a five-year contract at fixed, flat funding - are in urgent need of review because pharmacies are being asked to do more to earn their income on less
The advanced funding provided to pharmacies to deal with the demand brought on by COVID-19 will not cover pharmacies’ ongoing costs from the pandemic – it is also an advance, meaning it may be expected to be paid back in the future, and pharmacy owners are concerned as to how they will do this when they are already under financial pressure
There are mounting operational pressures and there is a perception that policymakers consistently ask pharmacies to do more but fail to recognise the costs of that work
The APPG report recommends:
The Government look back at the response from pharmacies during COVID and use this as a basis to revaluate a clear vision of what the country needs from pharmacy as vital frontline health care workers.
The Government and NHS leaders should consult on and undertake action to empower pharmacists to do more by providing more resources for training and supercharge the workforce which has shown it is a vital component of the NHS. In particular, a focus on training more independent prescribers and, critically, commissioning services that enable them to put their skills to best use, would be helpful.
There needs to be a revaluation at both the heart of Government and within finance teams in the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England about the value of pharmacy
The government write off the advanced payments as an immediate way of providing relief to the sector. The Government should consider the financial implications of asking the sector to pay back the £370m advanced payments at a time where immediate pressures are pushing many community pharmacies to the brink and payments had not been enough to cover the financial pressures brought on by COVID-19
In order to preserve the future sustainability of pharmacies we urge the Government to consider boosting overall funding in recognition of both the great financial pressures faced and the huge contribution made to frontline healthcare during the pandemic. It is clear that current funding levels may already be causing irreparable damage to pharmacies and without some kind of reform the number of pharmacies in England could substantially decrease.
Chair of the All-Party Pharmacy Group, Jackie Doyle-Price said:
“The public rightly recognise pharmacy teams continue to lift heaven and earth to remain open and ensure the safe supply of medicines during the pandemic. But people would be shocked to hear that unprecedented financial pressure is now pushing many pharmacies to close. The innovations and adaptations quickly put in place by pharmacy teams demonstrate the unique skills pharmacists have to do even more. It would be a crying shame if the Government did not seize on this opportunity to unleash the potential of pharmacy. Our report outlines both the amazing response and suggestions for how the Government can support pharmacies.”
