NPA Asks of Government

Community pharmacies are in the frontline of the response to Covid-19.

We are asking the government for, amongst other things;

·         Contingency funding for pharmacies that are forced to close temporarily

·         Emergency funding to ease cashflow problems in pharmacies

·         Proper recognition of the huge effort that is underway in community pharmacy to maintain medicine supply and be the front door to the NHS at a time of great challenge and when so many other services are being put on hold

We are currently working with other pharmacy bodies to coordinate all the detailed requests we have for the government at this time.

2021

We asked NHS officials that those pharmacies that have applied to be part of the Covid vaccine programme but have not yet been accepted, be allowed to join.

In response to a PSNC announcement about measures to help ease immediate pressures on community pharmacies, the NPA described changes to the Pharmacy Quality Scheme as modest and called for NHS England to urgently consider a nationwide emergency supply scheme to reduce the time pharmacies spend chasing up prescriptions. The requirement for pharmacies to check codes when people ask for lateral flow tests should also be suspended, we said.

The NPA has been relentlessly making the funding case for community pharmacy at a national level with MPs and peers. We have continued to push the government on providing further investment to underpin viability, change and improvement in our sector. If you haven’t done so already, please write to your MP, highlighting your experiences during the pandemic and how pharmacies are facing financial difficulties. By asking for their support you can keep putting pressure on the government about the funding situation in community pharmacy.

Find your local MP here

September 2020

In light of the recent results of the EY report that was commissioned by the NPA, we have launched an open letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak to make the case for independent community pharmacy to receive a better funding settlement from the government. Members are requested to provide their support for this open letter by completing this short form.

April 2020

We launched a letter asking that we’re asking you to send to your local MP in England. As pharmacies are frontline NHS providers of care, it is vital that they are supported and protected during this pandemic, to maintain vital services including the safe supply of medicines. Emailing this letter to your MP can help to support local pharmacies by highlighting to the Government the urgent need to provide pharmacies with financial assistance, adequate supplies of personal protective equipment for staff. Find out who your local MP is and how to contact them by visiting this government website

Read past questions here

If you want to get your own story out there (for example via local newspapers or local radio/TV), we can help: email press@npa.co.uk.