The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has accused NHS England (NHSE) of ‘suppressing’ and ‘keeping secret’ the results of the economic review of community pharmacy.

It said the work ‘is central to understanding the true extent to which their funding for community pharmacy falls short’.

Yesterday, The Pharmacist revealed that NHSE would not share any further details on the economic review of community pharmacy while contract negotiations were ongoing, although it said it was 'committed to publishing this important report'.

But NPA chair Nick Kaye accused NHSE of 'suppressing' the report, adding that 'there is absolutely no justification for this to be kept secret from the public'.

He said that the life-changing impact of medicines supplied by community pharmacies made publishing the review now 'vital', in order to 'inform public debate about an essential national service as well as consultations being carried out behind closed doors'.

'With pharmacies still closing every week, pharmacies, MPs and the wider public are entitled to know the scale of funding shortfall and what the government needs to do in order to sort out the crisis they have inherited,' Mr Kaye said.

'It is outrageous for NHS England to suppress this piece of work which is central to understanding the true extent to which their funding for community pharmacy falls short.'

The review, promised as part of the 2022-24 pharmacy contract, aims to find out the 'full economic costs of delivering NHS pharmaceutical services' and whether NHS community pharmacy businesses are sustainable under the current funding model.

Today, a Community Pharmacy England (CPE) spokesperson confirmed the negotiator had 'considered draft findings of the report at its February Committee meeting, as part of the CPCF negotiations', as agreed with NHS England.

'We submitted further comments to the report’s authors last week and the committee will consider the final report once completed, as part of this ongoing negotiation process,' they said.

'NHS England is committed to publishing the report and, in the meantime, we are using the findings for maximum benefit both in these negotiations and for the longer-term future of the sector.'

Last week, community pharmacy representatives from the NPA and the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) called for the economic review of the sector to be published immediately for the sake of transparency in contract negotiations.

NHSE and DHSC have been approached for comment.