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Community pharmacy in 2016 and beyond

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Community pharmacy in 2016 and beyond

The cuts to funding will have a direct impact on pharmacies. Joanne Taylor explores what needs to be done to ensure survival

You will have seen on this website, in the press and on television regarding the reduction in funding for community pharmacies. Parliamentary under secretary of state for community health and care David Mowat MP also made a statement on Community Pharmacy in 2016/17 and Beyond in Parliament.

The final package is due to be implemented with the funding changes coming in from 1 December. Unfortunately, the new community pharmacy contractual framework will provide remuneration for contractors providing NHS pharmaceutical services with a total of £2.687 billion for 2016/17 and £2.592 billion for 2017/18.

It’s not easy to predict how much the funding cuts will affect pharmacies and staffing, although we are all aware of the possible consequences, especially on staffing levels and clusters of pharmacies. It seems ironic that the NHS regards patient choice as paramount, yet local pharmacies could potentially close, with patients forced to use another in the area. I feel that it’s disappointing that frontline staff have not been listened to and decisions have been made without adequate consultations with the profession.

However, since the initial announcement on 17 December last year about the intention to reduce funding, the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has been proactively safeguarding the current and future role of pharmacy technicians at every opportunity. APTUK’s first response considered the potential impact of funding cuts on the skill mix of the pharmacy team going forward, and the effects this may have on pharmacy services. APTUK has expressed its view that utilising pharmacy technicians, as regulated, registered, accountable and responsible professionals, can contribute to the delivery of integrated pharmaceutical care. 

Tess Fenn, president of APTUK, said: “APTUK is concerned about the decisions that will be made to reduce costs and staffing. It is pleasing, however, to see that the Pharmacy Integration Fund (PhIF) has highlighted the need to support pharmacy technician clinical leadership development... The recent University of East Anglia (UEA) research, conducted in collaboration with APTUK, which looks at identifying the roles of pharmacy technicians in the UK, certainly highlights the variety, diversity and potential of the pharmacy technician. It also highlights the need for funded and recognised quality training and development to prepare pharmacy technicians for both current and future roles, so the announcement of the PhIF is timely.”

I believe it is vital that community pharmacy continues to contribute to the health and wellbeing of the public and this can only be achieved with a highly skilled workforce and adequate funding within community pharmacy itself. Reducing staffing levels and pharmacy closures is not the answer and will only put extra strain on the GPs and A&E departments across England. Let’s keep community pharmacy strong and ensure its future survival.

Joanne is a registered pharmacy technician and ACPT working in community pharmacy. She is national secretary for the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) and is a member of the Medicines Rebalancing Programme Board at the Department of Health as well as TM’s editorial advisory panel.

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