The Government intends to have legislation in place by October next year that will allow all community pharmacies, including independents, to run centralised dispensing services if they choose. So announced Alistair Burt MP, community and social care minister, at this year’s Pharmacy Show.

“If we want further expansion [of pharmacy’s role] against a backdrop of significant financial pressures, we need to create the right climate for pharmacists to be even more efficient,” he said. The Government is to consult on changes to medicines legislation that will allow so-called ‘hub and spoke’ dispensing. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, the aim is to have the necessary changes in place by October 2016, Mr Burt said.

Speaking at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Conference in September, England’s chief pharmacist, Keith Ridge, said largescale centralised dispensing would be safer, more efficient, and free up pharmacy teams to spend more time with patients.

However, chair of Pharmacy Voice Claire Ward fired a warning. “We must beware the risk of the ‘Amazonisation’ of medicines supply that could result from hub and spoke. The pharmacy network must be protected at all costs.”

It is vital that community pharmacy is seen as integral to primary care, Mr Burt told delegates. However there are no plans for a national common ailments service in England, following the failed negotiations earlier this year. Although it is NHS England that would be responsible for commissioning such a service, the minister said he is supportive of local minor ailments schemes. “Let’s look at these and see what lessons can be learned.”