Despite plans for the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS) to launch on 24 April, pharmacies have put a pause on this whilst criticising the Government for the lack of funding being put into the service. 

Indeed, Day Lewis Pharmacy said in a statement that despite all their pharmacists now being trained in contraception, they will not be launching the service until progress is made with pharmacy funding. 

“Day Lewis have always been keen and proactive to deliver pharmacy services, but the current model where pharmacies are asked to do more for less and services coming from the existing global sum is unsustainable and cannot continue,” said the organisation. 

“As a family business it’s distressing that NHSE has forced us to ration services to a few patients so that we can continue to support our critically ill and chronic patients whose lives depend on us.”

“This could, in future, be a great new pharmacy service, but not without the increase in funding necessary to deliver it safely and effectively,” added the National Pharmacy Association in a series of tweets published on 25 April. 

Since then the Government has announced a £645 million investment in community pharmacy in England, how this is to be delivered is yet to be confirmed.