As the Government looks to grow the economy, pharmacists will be central to achieving its ambitions on health, reducing inequalities, managing the growing cost of long-term conditions and boosting patient access to healthcare. 

With continued pressures on public finances, it is crucial that the Government and NHS make the most of pharmacy’s potential to support prevention, including expanding vaccination services, supporting earlier detection and treatment of health conditions and tackling polypharmacy to reduce avoidable hospital admissions.

Amid ongoing NHS cuts and reorganisation, strong pharmacy leadership must be retained and visible across the system. This is from commissioning through to delivery, to safeguarding quality, ensuring the best use of the NHS medicines budget and delivering on national priorities.

We welcome the Government’s commitment of £190 million to support winter pressures, recognising the challenges facing health services during the coming months. Community pharmacies are the most accessible part of the healthcare system and play a critical role in helping patients access timely advice, treatment and support, while easing pressure on other parts of the NHS.

The Government’s review of the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is a positive step. AI has the potential to improve efficiency and support patient care, but it must align with professional standards and have a clear focus on patient safety. AI should support, not replace, professional judgement. Accountability for decisions should be reinforced with meaningful human oversight.

Pharmacy has much to offer in terms of preventing ill health but to realise this potential, pharmacy services need fair and sustainable funding to enable the profession to fully contribute to delivering patient care and creating a more resilient NHS.

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