The government is aware of reports that some GPs have been unwilling to direct patients to Pharmacy First, and will 'keep it under review', a Lords parliamentary under-secretary for health and social care has said.

In a House of Lords debate earlier this week (28 January) Labour peer Baroness Winterton of Doncaster highlighted reports 'that some GPs have been unwilling to direct patients to community pharmacists, even under the Pharmacy First programme'.

And she asked parliamentary under-secretary Baroness Merron to 'look at whether further action is needed to ensure that GPs work with community pharmacists to deliver services to patients'.

In response, Baroness Merron said she was 'aware of the reports', and noted that as a new service, Pharmacy First needed time 'to bed in'.

'NHSE is working closely with ICBs, GPs and the community pharmacy sector to improve referrals,' she added.

And she highlighted funding that has been provided to ICBs for primary care network engagement leads, 'who should be well placed to support GP teams to refer into the service'.

'We are aware of my noble friend’s point; we are acting on it and we will continue to keep it under review,' Baroness Merron said.

Last year The Pharmacist reported that almost half of pharmacies in England had seen a reduction in Pharmacy First electronic referrals from GP practices since many GPs began 'working to rule' in the summer.

Most pharmacy closures 'large pharmacy chains optimising their portfolios'

During the debate, Baroness Merron also described ensuring access to pharmacies as 'a work in progress to which we must be alert'.

But she said 'it is also important to look at some of the reasons for the closures', adding that 'the majority of recent closures were the result of large pharmacy chains optimising their portfolios'.

She also suggested that the 'vital role' of community pharmacies had not been made use of 'as much as they could have been'.

While ICBs 'have a role to play' in commissioning services that bring revenue to community pharmacies, Baroness Merron also noted that NHS England has commissioned 'an economic analysis of the cost of providing pharmaceutical services', which will 'inform future funding arrangements'.

'Work will continue' on medicine supply issues

Baroness Merron also told the House of Lords that the government is 'working to ensure that the supply chain is secure and robust and can meet the demands on it'.

She said this 'requires a detailed look', and 'work will continue'.

Work was also 'continuing' to resolve issues around medicines substitution, and potentially enable pharmacists to modify prescriptions in the case of a shortage, added Baroness Merron.

The government recently confirmed that it was considering enabling pharmacists to substitute a different dose or formulation in specified circumstances.