PSNC update on Pharmacy Funding cuts - Alastair Buxton (confirmed)

Government delivers financial blow to community pharmacy

You will no doubt have heard by now about the open letter to PSNC on 17th December, revealed at a meeting hosted by pharmacy minister Alistair Burt, in which the government has announced that funding for community pharmacy in 2016/17 will be cut by £170m. The cut, from £2.8bn to £2.63bn, is a reduction of more than 6% in cash terms – and in real terms 12% as implemented over six months.

Link to the NHSE letter - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486941/letter-psnc.pdf

Link to response by Sue Sharpe -

http://psnc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Community-Pharmacy-in-2016-2017-and-beyond_Response-from-Sue-Sharpe.pdf

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire LPCs have worked together to put on an event for contractors and Pharmacy Teams to come together to discuss the implications and feed in to the debate about a response to these proposed cutbacks.

PSNC have agreed to attend this meeting and the speaker will be Alastair Buxton.

Background to the meeting

At a time when primary care and urgent care services are struggling to manage demand, this is a profoundly damaging move. It will deliver a destructive blow to the support community pharmacies can offer to patients and the public. Community pharmacies provide vital healthcare and advice which reduces the burden on GPs and urgent care services and helps the NHS to cope with winter pressures.

The letter speaks of the potential for far greater use of community pharmacy and pharmacists in prevention of ill health, support for healthy living and minor ailments, but almost inevitably the impact of the cuts will force pharmacies to reduce staffing levels and direct more people to GP or urgent care. The letter goes on to say “In some parts of the country there are more pharmacies than are necessary to maintain good access.” The threat to the network is clear but the letter is very short on detail on how the NHS will manage this “clustering” of pharmacies.

The only context in which patient choice is mentioned is to give patients the option of online services. The letter states that the Department will consult on the introduction of a scheme to provide additional funds to ensure that “those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive”.

We have talked of community pharmacy being at a crossroads for several years now – some of you will remember the Nuffield report of the 80’s and PIANA in the 90’s – well the crossroads has come and we are now down the path of no return so this event is being arranged to identify where that path leads the sector.

AGENDA

6.30pm - buffet

7.15pm - Welcome and Introductions by Rob Severn, Nottinghamshire LPC Chair

7.20pm - PSNC update - Alastair Buxton

8pm - NPA update - James Wood

8.15pm - Q&A

8.45pm - Table discussions - faciliated by LPC members

9.15pm - feedback and close

PSNC update on Phamacy Funding Cuts