The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) will not be recommending co-ordinated protest action to its members, it has announced.

But it said that individual pharmacies might still have to take steps such as reducing services in order to save costs.

NPA chair Nick Kaye said that 'despite much needed additional investment, pharmacies will face a substantial gap and some will still need to make tough decisions in the short term to keep their doors open'.

In September 2024, an NPA ballot had seen its members vote in favour of limiting their services unless funding was improved.

Related Article: 'I'm reluctant, but I have to cut costs': The contractors supporting NPA action

The NPA reiterated its threats of action in mid-March when 2024/25 and 2025/26 funding arrangements had still not been announced.

In April, a £3bn contract deal was announced for community pharmacy – a deal the sector's negotiator suggested equates to around £65,200 additional income per pharmacy for 2025/26.

Today, Mr Kaye said: 'After much careful deliberation we have decided not to recommend our members take collective action in light of this offer.'

He described the deal as 'a step forward after 11 years of funding squeezes'.

And he said the NPA hoped it could 'act as a turning point after many years of neglect'.

Mr Kaye added that while the NPA was keen 'to work with ministers to improve services for patients through reform that delivers stronger and more sustainable care in the community', it would be 'watching closely to see if the additional investment will have a stabilising effect on the pharmacy network'.

Related Article: Community pharmacies get £3bn deal for 2025/26

Contractors previously told The Pharmacist that they were 'reluctant' to cut opening hours and services but had to find a way to reduce costs.

Pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock had also called the NPA's proposed collective action 'premature, unnecessary and detrimental to community pharmacy patients'.

After the new contractual framework was announced on 31 March, the NPA said it was 'pausing any action recommendation' while it considered the detail of the pharmacy funding announcement.

Today, Mr Kinnock welcomed the NPA's announcement, saying: 'This is good news for patients around the country.'

'This government inherited a pharmacy sector neglected by years of funding squeezes, which is why we made the difficult but necessary choices at the Budget, and acted quickly to provide the first real-terms increase to the sector since 2014 – an extra £617 million over two years.

Related Article: NPA pausing action recommendation while considering funding deal

'Pharmacies are integral to the fabric of our communities and we want them to play a bigger role as we shift care out of hospitals through our Plan for Change.

'I look forward to working closely with the National Pharmacy Association as we build a stronger community care system with pharmacy at its heart,' he said.