Pharmacists, other health professionals and the general public have been invited to respond to a national 'engagement exercise' to help shape the government's 10-year plan for the NHS.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said today that while the government has 'a clear plan to fix the health service', it was 'only right that we hear from the people who rely on the NHS every day to have their say and shape our plan as we deliver it'.

And health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: 'Whether you use the NHS or work in it, you see first-hand what’s great, but also what isn’t working. We need your ideas to help turn the NHS around.'

Meanwhile, NHS England (NHSE) chief executive Amanda Pritchard said NHSE would be 'carrying out the largest ever staff engagement exercise in NHS history and leaving no stone unturned as we seek to harness frontline views, alongside those of patients and the public'.

Preparations for the government's '10 Year Health Plan' follow from Lord Ara Darzi’s independent report into the health service which flagged the level of pharmacy closures across the country and warned pharmacy access could be 'at risk'.

And the government has promised a 'neighbourhood health service' that would see more care delivered in the community, closer to people's homes. It is planned to include new ‘neighbourhood health centres’ with patients able to see GPs and other health specialists ‘under the same roof’, the government has said.

The government also committed today to creating a ‘patient passport’ which brings together all patient information on the NHS App, as well as bringing in new laws to support data sharing.

IPA: 'Properly funded, community pharmacy can be the backbone of the NHS'

In response to the consultation launch, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) said that properly funded, community pharmacy can be the backbone of the NHS 10-year plan.

'With the right support and investment, pharmacies can answer this rallying cry, driving prevention and community care interventions that save lives and money,' she said.

'The government is right that reforms and targeted investment in community care can revolutionise the NHS.

'One of the greatest opportunities lies in community pharmacy.

'If the government helps us fix the broken pharmacy contract and gives us the support we need, the rewards for the NHS will be immense'.

And she urged community pharmacy teams to respond to the government's consultation.

NPA: A 'neighbourhood health service' means investing in community pharmacy.

Meanwhile, Paul Rees, National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chief executive, said the government's vision of a 'neighbourhood health service' means investing in community pharmacy.

'Often the health professionals people know best are their pharmacists. A neighbourhood health service means investing in our amazing community pharmacy network, which is embedded in communities across the country,' Mr Rees said.

But he warned that 'many pharmacies could be forced to close down before the 10 year plan is even published in spring 2025'.

'We hope that government will stabilise the community pharmacy network which has been hit by devastating cuts, and  expand pharmacy services to bring care close to patients and their communities.

'While pharmacies are in financial crisis and need urgent funding to halt the terrible round of closures that is having such a damaging effect on patients and their communities, there is a huge opportunity to do so much more.

'We hope the government will take this opportunity to fix the crisis in community pharmacy and unleash their potential to make a real difference to patients – and the rest of the NHS,' he said.

RPS: Support pharmacists to support patients

Tase Oputu, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) England board, said that 'supporting patient access to community pharmacies should be at the heart of the new neighbourhood health service'.

She added that the government must make pharmacist prescribing 'a reality' and 'consider how pharmacists can be enabled to support the best use of medicines across the system'.

'Pharmacists will be crucial to delivering ambitions around public health and prevention, and they have long called for read-write access to patient records across care settings,' she added.

And she said to support the increasingly clinical role of pharmacists, they must receive support throughout their career, including through protected learning time, as well as access to the Learning Support Fund for pharmacy students.

Respond to the government's consultation at change.nhs.uk