Pharmacy Vision: Contractors and LPCs start to share views

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Work to develop a new vision and strategic options for community pharmacy is now well underway, being led by Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund.

Alongside a literature review and wider research being carried out by the two health policy think tanks, PSNC is running an open consultation which some contractors and LPCs have already responded to.

Also this month, members of the Steering Group and Advisory Panel for the project have been confirmed, and the four issues-focused Working Groups are being finalised.

The Steering Group is providing ‘challenge and review’ at key stages in the project, as well acting as a sounding board and advising on the content and structure of the report.

The group is made up largely of pharmacy representatives, including both contractor and LPC representation, to ensure that the sector’s views remain at the heart of this work.

The group met for the first time this month and members shared their initial thoughts on the scope and ambition for the future, as well as thinking about the patient perspective and providing a stark account of the economic realities now facing community pharmacies.

Members of the Advisory Panel, which include representatives from a wider range of organisations outside pharmacy, have also been confirmed and the panel will meet at the end of November.

The panel includes membership from patient groups, other healthcare professions, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the NHS, and local commissioners, ensuring that the voices of community pharmacy’s most critical stakeholders are heard as the vision is developed.

PSNC is currently running an open consultation to hear from contractors, LPCs and others in the sector about their views on the future of community pharmacy. The consultation – which takes the form of an online survey – is open until 11.59pm on Friday 9th December 2022.

Learn more about the consultation

Steering Group and Advisory Panel member lists are now available here.

Why your views and the Pharmacy Vision matter… – a blog from Jay Patel, Executive Director at Day Lewis plc, PSNC Committee Member and Vision Steering Group Member.

PSNC Chief Executive Janet Morrison said:

“Given the very bleak winter that community pharmacy contractors are already grappling with, I know it is difficult to ask people to be thoughtful about the future. So it’s all the more encouraging that so many have already stepped forward to do so, both agreeing to help steer this project and by responding to our consultation.

“I’ve said before that this vision will be critical to future negotiations in which we absolutely must get a fairer deal for contractors – that is what we are all working towards, and this vision will help us in that endeavour. Thank you to everyone who has supported the work so far, and we look forward to hearing an even wider range of views as the project progresses.”

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