The significant increase in workload taken on by pharmacists in recent years means the sector is in a 'stronger position than ever before' to fight for the investment it deserves, but the negotiator warned that for some pharmacy businesses any help coming could be too late.

In her latest blog, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison stressed pharmacy owners are ‘exasperated and desperate’ and that the sector needs an answer on a range of key issues urgently.

She reiterated that CPE had been assured negotiations on the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) will recommence this month and that the team ‘expect to hear news very soon’.

But the rate of pharmacy closures ‘continue to show the reality that for some pharmacy businesses, any help that may be coming is already too late’, said Ms Morrison.

‘Without urgent help, the sector is close to collapsing.’

Addressing contractors, she added: ‘I know that the questions you need answers to in 2025 are: is any more funding coming; how much will this help us; and when will it arrive? As we wait for CPCF negotiations to restart we simply don’t have these answers, and Committee Members, who are pharmacy owners themselves, are as angry about this as everyone in the sector.

‘What we do know is that because of the significant ramping up of our work over the past two years, the value of what you offer is clear and recognised; the scale of your financial crisis is undeniable; the potential that pharmacy has to do more for patients, the NHS and society at large is understood; and that more influential people than ever before – from politicians, to patient groups – are concerned about what the outcome of these negotiations and the future for community pharmacy will be.

‘Of course, none of that solves the NHS affordability crisis that the government continues to warn publicly about, but it puts pharmacy in a stronger position than ever before as we fight for the investment you so desperately need, and we will continue to build on and to leverage all of it.’

She suggested CPE ‘expect to hear news very soon’ and that as negotiations restart the focus will be on ‘getting answers, and investment, to the sector as quickly as possible’.

‘We hope that through 2025, the sector gets rather more answers on a whole range of key issues than it is starting the year with,’ added Ms Morrison.

The blog comes as an exclusive survey revealed just one in three (31%) of community pharmacists see themselves working in either a salaried or contractor community pharmacy role in five years' time.

Last week the government ‘partially’ accepted recommendations made by the Health and Social Care Committee on pharmacy funding, but recognised there is ‘still much more to be done’ to support the sector.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Community pharmacy has a vital role to play as we shift the focus of the NHS out of hospitals and into the community, through our 10 Year Health Plan.

'Unfortunately, we inherited a system that has been neglected for too long and isn’t supporting the pharmacists we need to deliver for patients at a local level.

'We will shortly be resuming our consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding the funding arrangements for 2024/25.'