AQW 12918/22-27


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 04/06/2024
Answered On Date: 18/06/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) to detail his plans to review and implement changes to the remuneration policy with community pharmacists with a view to ensuring their sustainability; and (ii) for his assessment of the concerns of community pharmacists about the future viability of the sector.


Answer:
At the outset, I can assure you that this Department acknowledges the very important work that community pharmacies and their teams deliver for our population.
Against the backdrop of the current severe budgetary pressures and the multiple demands for additional funding across all parts of health and social care, additional investment continues to be provided to the community pharmacy sector.
In correspondence to all pharmacy contractors dated 25th April ’24, it was advised that my Department has committed to the following in 2024/25:
£1m per quarter in respect of inflation pressures, which will be paid as a top-up to Global Sum fees
£4m non-recurrent funding for the medicines adherence service pressures
A commitment to increase the retained medicines margin of £26.5m to £31.5m, and a commitment to move towards new processes during 2024/2025.
As a result of the funding measures detailed above, the revised opening funding allocation for community pharmacy services for 24/25 in Northern Ireland is £147m. This is an increase of £19m and 14.8% over the opening position of April 2023.
(ii)
In terms of the future viability of the community pharmacy sector, last month, the Department of Health published a new Strategic Plan for Community Pharmacy which aims to fully realise the potential of community pharmacy services to support better health outcomes from medicines and prevent illness.
This important piece of work was developed collaboratively by the Department of Health and Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI), the representative body for community pharmacy owners, and describes the vision and strategic priorities for community pharmacy up to 2030.
Additional funding will be required to fully deliver this Strategic Plan up to 2030. I am very conscious that the Community Pharmacy sector – like all sectors across health and social care – is keen to see further investment.
The Strategic Plan for Community Pharmacy is available on the Department of Health website:  https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/community-pharmacy-strategic-plan-2030