The Welsh Government intends to maintain funding for community pharmacy in Wales over the next two years and not reduce investment, as is the case for contractors in England. A move very much welcomed by RPS Wales.

The commitment to Welsh pharmacies was clarified in a statement from Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Assembly cabinet secretary for health wellbeing and sport: "Let me be clear, the community pharmacy sector is a fundamental part of a strong primary care service," he said. "This is why the programme this Government set out in Taking Wales Forward commits to invest in community pharmacies to take pressure off our GP services, reducing unnecessary appointments and making sure people are able to see the right professional in the right setting at the right time.

"Let me reassure you, the health and social services budget in Wales for the current and next financial year does not include any proposals to reduce investment in community pharmacy," he concluded.  

In response to this, Suzanne Scott-Thomas, Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Wales chair, said: "This is a welcome intervention from the cabinet secretary at a time when pharmacists in Wales are concerned about funding reductions in England. We know pharmacists who live in Wales but work in England, as well as those who work for companies who have a large presence in England will be feeling very concerned about the future. The RPS is working across Great Britain to make the case for community pharmacy.

“The two year commitment to funding community pharmacy in Wales is a testament to excellent patient care that pharmacists are providing to patients and the public. Pharmacists can do even more, we would like the “Choose Pharmacy” campaign to be developed into a national common ailments services scheme, this coupled with a National Patient Behaviour Change campaign would do a lot to relieve pressure on GP surgeries and A&E departments.”