AQW 14646/22-27
Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down
Tabled Date: 09/09/2024
Answered On Date: 23/09/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the funding allocated to support community pharmacy in North Down in the last three years.
Answer:
The level of government funding for community pharmacies in NI compares favourably to other parts of the UK. 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. Funding for community pharmacies in NI has increased in recent years. In relation to the last 3 years, the opening position for 22/23 was £117m. The opening position in 2023/24 was £128m. There was additional funding invested in 2023/24 linked with service pressures and additional services. Therefore, by year-end, over £140m was invested in community pharmacy services in 2023/24. The additional recurrent funding invested in 2023/24 has brought the recurrent funding to over £134m at the start of 2024/25. Prior to the allocation of a budget for the 2024/25 year, my Department committed to providing additional funding to this opening position in recognition of the service pressures that this sector is facing and within what is affordable. The opening annual budget for the community pharmacy sector is £147m, a rise of £19m in 2024 compared to April 2023. This includes committing an additional £2m per quarter in 2024/25 in respect of ongoing service pressures. Whether this can be made recurrent will be dependent upon the delivery of efficiencies and the budget allocation. SPPG does not hold sub-regional funding budgets for community pharmacy services.
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