In News

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

Community Pharmacy England last night broke its silence over concerns the government may be trying to bury the economic analysis of community pharmacy by insisting NHS England is “committed to publishing the report”.

Nearly a week after the National Pharmacy Association and Independent Pharmacies Association called on NHSE and the government to say when the report will be made public, CPE attempted to assuage contractors’ concerns.

The analysis, commissioned by NHSE as part of community pharmacy’s contractual arrangements for 2022-23 and 2023-24, assesses the economic cost of delivering NHS pharmaceutical services and whether pharmacies are viable under the current funding model.

“NHS England is committed to publishing the report and, in the meantime, we are using the findings for maximum benefit both in these negotiations and for the longer-term future of the sector,” CPE said.

CPE: Our committee members saw 'draft' report this month

It insisted NHSE commissioned the analysis, which will “inform thinking about pharmacy funding and the cost of delivering the NHS service”, after pressure from pharmacy’s negotiator during previous funding talks with the government.

CPE said its committee members saw “draft findings” of the report during its meeting this month and “will receive the full report when it is ready”.

“We submitted further comments to the report’s authors last week and the committee will consider the final report once completed, as part of this ongoing negotiation process,” CPE said.

We can’t offer a running commentary on negotiations, says CPE

When asked if NHSE had indicated to it when the report will be published, CPE told Independent Community Pharmacist: “We cannot offer a running commentary on the negotiations”.

NHSE also said this morning that it was “committed to publishing this important report” but insisted it was “unable to give any further details while consultations are ongoing with Community Pharmacy England over 2024/25 and 2025/26 funding arrangements”.

An NHSE spokesperson told ICP: “All parties to the consultation have access to the full details of the work to date”.

There has been growing anxiety among pharmacy contractors over when the true extent of the financial crisis engulfing their sector will be laid bare.

NPA chairman Nick Kaye this week said contractors have a right to know what the analysis says and insisted it should be published "now to inform public debate about the future sustainability of the pharmacy network”.

“Why?” he wrote in his column for ICP. “Because this represents the biggest, most comprehensive analysis of community pharmacy finances in many years.”

In response to NHSE's comments, the NPA today told ICP "there is no reason why this report shouldn't be published during the negotiation period".

Insisting it was "outrageous for NHS England to suppress this piece of work", it said: “There is absolutely no justification for this to be kept secret from the public, which relies on a sustainable pharmacy network for life changing medication every day."