Protests postponed after pharmacy funding boost
The government has agreed a new funding package with pharmacy negotiators in England, leading some pharmacies to call off protests that were planned for later this week.
One group representing thousands of local pharmacies was preparing to take action involving cuts to opening hours from Tuesday, but they say that will be delayed while they consider the deal.
Others have said the funding package is a "step in the right direction" but it still will not cover all cost increases pharmacies are facing, including a rise in National Insurance.
Announcing the deal, ministers said they were working to turn around a "decade of underfunding and neglect".
Community pharmacies have been warning of closures and cutbacks in the face of what they say are unsustainable pressures.
Among these are a rising workload, funding which has not kept pace with inflation and the prospect of higher employer National Insurance contributions.
And all this as they are expected to help more patients with some conditions to take the pressure off GPs.
Government funding for pharmacies in England stood at £2.6bn in 2019/20. But over the next few years that did not go up with inflation.
In the current financial year (2024/25) it has been at £2.7bn.
The government has now announced a new deal for pharmacies in England, which will see funding rise to £3.1bn next year (2025/26).
The deal will also include more mental health support for patients and increased consultations and blood pressure checks.
And the deal includes a plan – announced on Sunday – to enable women to get the morning-after pill for free from pharmacies.
As part of the deal, the government will also write off £193 million of debt for community pharmacy owners.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: "We're working to turn around a decade of underfunding and neglect that has left the sector on the brink of collapse.
"This package of record investment and reform is a vital first step to getting community pharmacies back on their feet and fit for the future."
There was a cautious welcome from representatives of High Street chemists but warnings that the extra funding would not be enough to cover rising costs.
Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said the government's announcement was a "welcome step in the right direction" but it "does not alleviate pressures and will not stop closures".
Community pharmacies in England are "on life support", she said, adding the rise in National Insurance and business rates makes the situation "even more acute".
Another community pharmacy group, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), had announced that protest action would begin on Tuesday.
It had previously warned that pharmacists were facing a "financial cliff edge" from 1 April, when many of their costs are due to rise.
The NPA advised about 6,000 members in England to start "working to rule" from this date.
This was due to involve cutting opening hours to around 40 hours a week – the minimum required under their contracts – and would have meant possible weekend closures.
But the organisation says that this will be delayed while it consults members on the new deal.
NPA chair Nick Kaye said Monday's announcement was a "step forward".
"However, the truth is that because of a decade of neglect it also falls a long way short of the NHS's own estimates of the true cost of providing pharmacy services," he added.
The NPA is "ready to work with ministers to close the funding gap, reform the system and deliver the sustainable, stronger pharmacy service that millions of people need so much", he said.
Seven conditions that your local chemist can treat
Morning-after pill to be made free at pharmacies in England
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
7 days ago
- Medscape
UK Pharmacies Struggle with Severe Creon Shortage
Nearly all UK pharmacies are experiencing severe 'challenges' supplying pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) warned. A sample survey by the association found that 96% of pharmacies were struggling to obtain Creon (pancrelipase, Mylan). A further 89% reported difficulties supplying PERT alternatives. Patients Resorting to Extreme Measures The ongoing shortage has forced patients to take desperate action, according to the NPA, which said some are rationing existing medication supplies or skipping meals entirely. One pharmacist described it as the 'worst stock shortage' they had ever encountered. Patients report eating only one meal daily, contacting multiple pharmacies for supplies, or travelling more than 30 miles to obtain the medication. Critical Medication for Serious Conditions Creon is used to treat pancreatic exocrine insufficiency from a variety of causes, including pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatitis. The medication, derived from porcine pancreatin, contains lipase, protease, and amylase. It dissolves rapidly in the stomach to release its enzyme load in the small intestine, where its lipolytic, amylolytic, and proteolytic activity enable absorption of the products of pancreatic digestion. PERT medications need to be taken to facilitate digestion every time a patient eats. In clinical trials, treatment with Creon markedly improved stool consistency, abdominal pain, and stool frequency, independent of the underlying disease. The consequences of inadequate dosing can be severe. Patients may become too unwell for surgery, struggle with chemotherapy tolerance, or experience debilitating symptoms that diminish quality of life. Symptoms may include diarrhoea, flatulence, bloating, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, and oily, foul-smelling stools (steatorrhoea). Safety Concerns Olivier Picard, NPA chair, warned the shortage has 'profound effects' on patients who depend on the medication to survive and lead normal lives. 'It simply cannot be right that in the 21st century patients are skipping meals in order to ration their medication,' he said. Last week, the government extended the current Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) for Creon until 21 November 2025. The protocol allows pharmacists to use professional judgement to decide whether it's 'reasonable and appropriate' to substitute a patient's prescription for an alternative agent for one dispensing month. It allows pharmacies to supply a reduced quantity of Creon capsules that might be in stock, without having to send a patient back to their GP to get a new prescription. Two SSPs for Creon 10,000 and 25,000 capsules have been in place since May 2024. However, the survey found that 81% of pharmacies felt the current arrangements for managing the shortage were inadequate. In particular, pharmacists were still obliged to refer patients back to prescribers when seeking PERT alternatives. Alternative PERT formulations Nutrizym and Pancrex are also now in short supply as manufacturers struggle to meet demand. GPs and pharmacies can order unlicensed Creon or other PERT products from overseas, but other countries have experienced similar shortages. Calls for Regulatory Change The NPA and Pancreatic Cancer UK issued a joint statement urging government action. They called for a national plan to address shortages and support patients with alternative care. Picard said that although the situation was complex and not the fault of the government, medicine shortages were all too common. 'Highly trained pharmacists should also be permitted to use their professional judgment to supply alternative medicines — where it is safe and appropriate — in the event of the prescribed version being unavailable.' Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said that the findings were 'deeply worrying'. It was 'totally unacceptable' that cancer patients were still taking desperate measures that put their health, wellbeing, and eligibility for treatment at risk, when the charity had been raising concerns with Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) officials and PERT suppliers for more than a year. 'This crisis continues to put people's health on the line, and they cannot afford to wait any longer,' he said. A DHSC spokesperson said that the supply issues with Creon were European-wide and caused by limited availability of raw ingredients along with manufacturing capacity constraints. 'We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible,' the spokesperson said.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Yahoo
Pharmacists warn drug shortage affecting cancer patients
Pharmacists have warned that "one of the worst" examples of medicine shortages is affecting cancer patients. Creon, a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (Pert), helps digestion and is required by patients with pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, and chronic pancreatitis. It is thought more than 61,000 patients in the UK need the medicine. Some patients are said to be "skipping meals" to ration their medication due to a shortage of it, according to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said there were "European-wide supply issues" and it was "working closely with industry and the NHS" to mitigate the impact on patients. Without the drug, patients lose weight and strength, which means their ability to cope with treatment such as chemotherapy is reduced. Some experts have predicted shortages continuing until next year. The Department of Health and Social Care has extended a serious shortage protocol for Creon which has already been in place for a year. This indicates concern about shortages of a medicine and allows pharmacists to give patients an alternative - though they argue other drugs are also in short supply. A spokesperson for the department said the "European-wide supply issues" were caused by manufacturing supply constraints. The National Pharmacy Association said more than three quarters of members covered in a recent survey felt the current arrangements for managing the shortages were inadequate. Some reported that patients were skipping meals and travelling long distances to get hold of the medication, according to the NPA. One said it was the "worst stock shortage" they had ever had to deal with. BBC News highlighted the issue in February after a woman got in touch saying it was impossible for her husband, who has pancreatic cancer, to digest his food without Creon. That month, leading pancreatic clinicians and charities wrote to the prime minister, saying the absence of Pert can have a "devastating impact on people's lives". They called for a national strategy to tackle the shortage. Alice from Birmingham was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023 and initially got 15 boxes of Creon capsules every month to help her tolerate chemotherapy. She can now get only six or seven and is having to skip snacks. The 64-year-old said the shortage had profoundly affected her mental health. She told the BBC: "Each day I'm trying to balance: what shall I eat, shall I have a more substantial meal, shall I take my supplements and that creates an extra layer of stress and worry whilst I'm trying to put my life together again after having this diagnosis." Alfie Bailey-Bearfield of Pancreatic Cancer UK said the charity had been raising concerns with the government and suppliers for more than a year and it was vital that officials intervened to try to boost supply. "Thousands of people affected by pancreatic cancer rely on taking Pert tablets every time they eat simply to digest their food and absorb nutrients – something most of us take for granted," he said. "It's totally unacceptable that they are still taking desperate measures which puts their health, wellbeing and their eligibility for treatment at risk," he added. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association said it was very difficult for her members to obtain supplies from the wholesaler. "The shortages with Creon has been ongoing for so long and it seems no effective attempts are being made by officials to make the process easier for pharmacies and patients and to put robust plans in place to prioritise the availability of this product," she said. "Instead they continue prolonging the current processes." A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said it knew "how frustrating and distressing" medicine supply issues can be for patients and clinicians caring for them. They added: "The European-wide supply issues with Creon are caused by a limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints. "We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible." Cancer patients 'may starve' without vital drug
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
UK food prices climb for fourth month in a row
UK food inflation increased for the fourth consecutive month in May, reaching an annual rate of 2.8%, according to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NielsenIQ Shop Price Index. This marks the highest level in nearly a year, driven primarily by rising fresh food prices and escalating operational costs for retailers. Fresh food inflation rose to 2.4% year-on-year in May, up from 1.8% in April. The increase is largely attributed to higher wholesale beef prices, influenced by supply shortages and strong international demand, particularly from China. In contrast, ambient food inflation, which includes shelf-stable items, eased slightly to 3.3% from 3.7% the previous month. Non-food items remained in deflation, with prices falling by 1.5% year-on-year in May, compared to a 1.4% decline in April. However, the rate of deflation has slowed in categories such as fashion and furniture, as retailers begin to reduce heavy promotional activities. Electrical goods experienced faster price declines, as retailers aimed to stimulate spending ahead of potential impacts from U.S. tariffs. Retailers are contending with significant cost increases, including an additional £5 billion from April's higher employer National Insurance contributions and National Living Wage adjustments. Further financial pressures are anticipated later this year, with a £2 billion packaging tax and additional employment costs associated with the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill. These mounting expenses may lead to further price increases for consumers in the coming months. The overall shop price index remained in deflation at -0.1% year-on-year in May, unchanged from April, and above the three-month average of -0.2%. Despite this, the persistent rise in food inflation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by both retailers and consumers amid a complex economic landscape. "UK food prices climb for fourth month in a row" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
