cover of a manifesto for community pharmacy with title a manifesto for community pharmacy and #votepharmacy underneath and an image of a man sitting holding a pen talking to a woman — (#votepharmacy)

Call to action for political parties ahead of general election

Published: 7 June 2024

This news story was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Ahead of the General Election, we’ve written an open letter calling on political parties to support our joint manifesto for community pharmacy.

We’ve joined Community Pharmacy England, the Company Chemists’ Association, and the National Pharmacy Association to highlight the essential role that pharmacies play in providing accessible healthcare and the need for increased funding and support to meet the growing demand for pharmacists’ expertise.

Our community pharmacy manifesto outlines a six-point plan, including sustainable funding, support for the workforce, ensuring patient access to medicines, Pharmacy First, pharmacist prescribing, and health inequalities.

Tase Oputu, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England, said:

“Community pharmacy plays a central role in the care of millions of patients each year, but the system is also under pressure, and sustainable funding and support for the workforce will be crucial.

“As more pharmacists become prescribers, I’d urge the next government to make the most of this opportunity to transform patient care and ensure a positive future for community pharmacy at the heart of the nation’s health service.”

This news story was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Members of the Senedd (MSs) have been hearing about the pressures community pharmacists and their teams are facing and the support required for the sector. In a joint event by the RPS and Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW), MSs gathered over Tuesday lunchtime for a briefing on the state of community pharmacy in Wales – touching on both the tireless and high-quality work of community pharmacy teams and the various pressure points that are affecting the sector at present. The discussions focused on the worrying trend of community pharmacy closures in Wales, with 26 shutting down since July 2020. This is coupled with feedback from both the RPS and CPW membership that pressures on the sector are also leading to both reduced opening and staffing hours. Other key issues raised included the need for protected learning time, challenges in securing vital medications, and the decline in real-time funding for the reimbursement of medicines. Commenting on the briefing event, RPS Wales Director Elen Jones said: “It was uplifting to hear strong support and appreciation from the politicians for community pharmacy, along with recognition of pharmacists’ expanding clinical and prescribing roles and the vital contribution this has made to the NHS in recent years. "In our discussions, we emphasised our support to sustain and expand the clinical and prescribing roles of community pharmacists as set out in 'Pharmacy; Delivering a Healthier Wales' and the contractual framework for community pharmacies in Wales; ‘Presgripsiwn Newydd/A New Prescription’. However, for this to occur, the concerns and pressures facing the sector must be heard and addressed. "I’d like to thank CPW for joining us for this event and hope their upcoming discussions with the Welsh Government result in increased support for the community pharmacy sector. At RPS Wales, we will continue to raise important issues for our members at the Senedd, with our next quarterly briefing event scheduled for December due to focus on our upcoming report on medicines shortages." Read more RCPharm news stories.

Tase Oputu stands in front of a bookcase, wearing a white top

Pharmacy First service ‘a leap forward’, says RPS

30 January 2024

This news story was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. England’s Pharmacy First service is going live today in community pharmacies across the country as part of the government’s primary care access recovery plan. The service provides treatment for seven common conditions with medicines provided by the NHS. For the first time, patients will be able to access medicines for sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections without having to visit their GP first. Tase Oputu, Chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England, said: “Pharmacy First is a leap forward in improving patient care by making treatments for a range of conditions more accessible from community pharmacies. “The expansion of clinical services not only empowers patients with greater choice on where and how they receive care, but also makes the most of the valuable skills of pharmacists and their teams. “Pharmacy teams have made an incredible effort to get the service ready alongside all the additional pressures they face. It's an exciting transformation, helping to reshape the landscape of primary care.” Pharmacy First sits alongside two other recently introduced community pharmacy services in England, a contraceptive service enabling women to get oral contraceptives directly from their pharmacist, and a blood pressure check service to help prevent heart attacks and strokes. All three services align with the 'RPS Vision for Pharmacy Professional Practice', developed with the King’s Fund, which sets out how pharmacy teams can support better patient care and address key challenges facing the nation’s health. The vision emphasises the importance of providing consistent patient-focused services through community pharmacy that enhance access to care. Tase took part in several radio interviews, including BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, to discuss the service's impact and importance. Listen to the programme below: https://soundcloud.com/rpharms/bbc-radio-4-today-tase-oputu-310124-0709-hrs?utm_source=clipboardu0026amp;utm_campaign=wtshareu0026amp;utm_medium=widgetu0026amp;utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Frpharms%252Fbbc-radio-4-today-tase-oputu-310124-0709-hrs Find out why RPS Fellow and community pharmacist Reena Barai thinks Pharmacy First is a game changer. Check out our resources to help you feel confident and competent to provide national common clinical conditions services.