Led by our resident politics guru Neil Bhayani, alongside Chief Executive Henry Gregg, Chair Olivier Picard, Board Member Aisling O’Brien, and Director of External Affairs Gareth Jones, our delegation attended the Labour,Party Conference to advocate for the vital role community pharmacies play in delivering accessible, preventative, and sustainable healthcare. Neil also attended the Liberal Democrats and Conservative Party conferences.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, with NPA Chair Olivier Picard and NPA Chief Executive Henry Gregg at the Labour Party Conference
Liberal Democrats: Unlocking the Potential of Community Pharmacy
At the Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth, Neil led conversations with several key parliamentarians, highlighting both the financial pressures facing community pharmacies and the opportunities within the NHS 10-Year Plan.
Engagements with Lord Clement-Jones CBE, Ben Maguire MP, Rachel Gilmour MP, and Helen Morgan MP, the Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, focused on how pharmacies can help the NHS meet growing demand through better access, medicines optimisation services, and expanded vaccination and public health services — provided the sector receives the investment it needs.
Helen Morgan MP, in particular, expressed strong interest in exploring how pharmacies can play a larger role in long-term condition management and integrated community care. Neil will be following up to build on these discussions as Parliament resumes.
Labour: Building Partnerships to Deliver the NHS 10-Year Plan
In Liverpool, our presence at the Labour Party Conference demonstrated the sector’s commitment to working with the government to ensure the NHS 10-Year Plan delivers on its ambitions for patient access and community-based care.
Our team met with Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP, Pharmacy Minister Stephen Kinnock MP, and the Health Select Committee Chair Paulette Hamilton MP and Dr Simon Opher MP, Chair of the Health APPG. Discussions centred on how pharmacies can help shift care from hospitals to communities, improve management of long-term conditions, and strengthen public health through expanded vaccination programmes.
We also engaged with Ashley Dalton MP, Minister for Public Health, on how pharmacy-led services can help tackle health inequalities and support prevention agendas.
Beyond health, our conversations with Small Business Minister Blair McDougall MP and Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP underscored that community pharmacies are not just part of the health system — they are vital small businesses supporting local economies and the high street. We reinforced the message that investment in pharmacies is investment in both health and economic resilience.
NPA Chair Olivier Picard and Small Business Minister Blair McDougall MP at the Labour Party conference
NPA Chief Executive Henry Gregg with Paulette Hamilton MP and acting Chair of the Health Select Committee
Conservatives: A Vision for Prevention and Community Care
At the Conservative Party Conference, Neil continued to ensure that community pharmacy remains firmly on the political radar, meeting with Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, the new Shadow Health Secretary, Health Select Committee member Joe Robertson MP and PPS to the Shadow Health Secretary Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP.
Discussions focused on the shared ambition to strengthen primary and community care and the critical role pharmacies can play in preventing illness, managing long-term conditions , and supporting healthier communities with the right investment and policy support.
Our Message: Pharmacies are Central to the NHS of the Future
Across all three conferences, our message was clear and consistent:
Community pharmacy is ready to do more — but it needs the right investment, support and recognition to realise its full potential.
Whether it’s delivering more vaccinations, managing long-term conditions, or keeping patients healthy and out of hospital, pharmacies stand ready to be a cornerstone of a sustainable NHS.
Our engagement this conference season reinforces our determination to ensure that, whichever party is in power, community pharmacy remains at the forefront of health policy and public service delivery.
Pharmacy Minister Stephen Kinnock at the Labour party conference with NPA Chair and Chief Executive
Looking Ahead
As Parliament returns, we will continue to build on the relationships and momentum established at the conferences — championing a stronger, better-funded, and more integrated role for community pharmacy across the UK.
By maintaining a visible, credible, and solutions-focused presence in Westminster and beyond, we are ensuring that our members’ voices are heard — and that community pharmacy continues to be recognised as an essential partner in the future of healthcare and the NHS.
