Latest news with #NickKaye
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Pharmacy closured called off after pay deal agreed in win for Mirror campaign
Pharmacists agree pay deal with Government and halt 'collective action' to cut opening hours and stop some services in a win for the Mirror's campaign to help save family chemists Pharmacy leaders have called off 'collective action' for chemists to shut on weekends and some evenings in a major win for the Mirror. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has announced to its 6,000 member shops in England that it is recommending accepting the Government's pay deal. It comes after Labour gave chemists a 15% rise and their first real-terms funding increase since 2014 to stop hundreds of closures. Writing for the Mirror, Care Minister Stephen Kinnock said: 'Today's decision is not just a victory for community pharmacies, but for millions of Mirror readers who rely on these vital local services every day. "Pharmacies are integral to the fabric of our communities, and we want them to play a bigger role as we shift care out of hospitals through our Plan for Change.' The unprecedented action would also have seen community chemists stop providing some services and would be the first such 'work to rule' stand-off in the NPA's 104-year history. The resolution marks a success for the Mirror's campaign to save family chemists and halt the closures which have left Britain's network of pharmacies at its lowest in 20 years. Nick Kaye, chair of the National Pharmacy Association said: 'It is clear that the government has inherited an intolerable situation and the latest announcement is a step forward after 11 years of funding squeezes. After much careful deliberation we have decided not to recommend our members take collective action in light of this offer, which we hope can act as a turning point after many years of neglect.' We reported last week how there are now 1,000 fewer community chemists open than in 2016 with almost one in ten closing their doors for good, leaving vulnerable people in some communities struggling to access vital medication. The closures have come despite the NHS asking pharmacies to take on more work from GPs, such as becoming the first port of call for for several common ailments; earache, sore throats, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, urinary tract infections and infected insect bites and stings. The collective action would have seen chemists restrict opening hours to the minimum required by their contract with the NHS. It could also involve them stopping free home deliveries of medicines and locally-commissioned work including stop smoking and other addiction support services as well as emergency contraception. Ministers say the new funding deal for pharmacies amounts to a 15% increase but the NPA says it still leaves the sector facing a gap of around £2.5 billion according to NHS England's independent economic analysis. This is in part due to increases in employer National Insurance contributions. The analysis also showed that half of pharmacies last year made a loss and 78% were not sustainable in the short term. Nick Kaye added: 'We are concerned that, despite much needed additional investment, pharmacies will face a substantial gap and some will still need to make tough decisions in the short term to keep their doors open. We want to work with ministers to improve services for patients through reform that delivers stronger and more sustainable care in the community but will be watching closely to see if the additional investment will have a stabilising effect on the pharmacy network. 'The last few months have shown that pharmacists – like GPs, hospital doctors and nurses – are a strong voice that must be heard. We are glad that ministers have listened to patients and pharmacies. Pharmacies are uniquely placed to achieve the government's ambition of delivering care close to communities and with the right support have the potential to provide a much wider range of services to patients.' Last November an NPA ballot saw 99.7% of the around two-thirds of pharmacies who responded say they would be prepared to withdraw services to patients if no substantial increase in funding was agreed. The decision to accept the new Government pay deal has now been made by the NPA's board - who are elected pharmacy owners from different parts of the UK - after consulting members. The NPA says it has no plans to hold another ballot of individual member pharmacies. Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care For millions of us, our local pharmacy is vital. Whether it's picking up prescriptions, getting health advice, or simply having someone to turn to, pharmacies are essential to everyday life. But for too long, they have been struggling. This government inherited a situation where years of funding cuts have left many on the brink of closing, with nearly 80% of pharmacies deemed unsustainable. When we came to power, we knew this could not continue. That's why we made the difficult but necessary choices at the Budget that let us take action, investing £617 million over two years – the first real funding increase for pharmacies since 2014. This vital boost has already started stabilising the sector, ensuring pharmacies can keep providing crucial services to local communities like yours. Today's decision by the National Pharmacy Association to work constructively with the government - rather than pursue industrial action - is not just a victory for community pharmacies, but for millions of Mirror readers who rely on these vital local services every day. Pharmacies are integral to the fabric of our communities, and we want them to play a bigger role as we shift care out of hospitals through our Plan for Change. By empowering pharmacists to provide more services – from mental health support to blood pressure checks - we can bring care closer to home and reduce pressure on GPs and hospitals. I'm also encouraged that the NPA recognises this government's commitment to reform - we know that pharmacies can't deliver 21st century healthcare on a 20th century funding model. Make no mistake – the road ahead remains challenging. But by working in genuine partnership with pharmacy leaders, we can build a stronger primary care system with staff on the frontline rather than the picket line, helping patients across the country. We solved the resident doctor strikes and we are repairing community pharmacy. After years of being ignored and underfunded, pharmacists finally have a government that listens and acts. Together, we will ensure that community pharmacy is not just preserved - but transformed into the cornerstone of a more accessible and efficient health service for everyone.
The Independent
31-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Pharmacies pause action while they examine Government funding deal
Pharmacies across England have paused taking action such as cutting opening hours while they look at a new funding deal from the Government. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has promised to 'rebuild community pharmacy' as it announced it had reached an agreement with Community Pharmacy England for a funding increase over two years. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents 6,000 independent community pharmacies, has previously warned that pharmacists were facing a 'financial cliff edge'. It said the effect of National Insurance and National Living Wage rises would mean pharmacies in England faced £250 million of unplanned costs and recommended its members took collective action from the start of April if there was no sufficient package agreed with the Government. On Monday, the DHSC said it had agreed to a final funding settlement for 2024/25 worth an extra £106 million compared to the previous year, and a further £375 million for 2025/26. It said a further £30 million had also been freed up by devolving funding for blood pressure and contraception services to pharmacies and that it would write off £193 million of debt for community pharmacy owners. The NPA said planned collective action was now paused while it consulted members and worked through the details of the deal. Nick Kaye, chairman of the NPA, said: 'After a decade of 40% cuts to their funding that has left the pharmacy network on its knees, it is good to see a concrete sign that ministers want to support pharmacies. 'No one wants to reduce services through protest action so we'll look carefully at the detail and consult our members, who are facing substantial cost increases from April 1, to understand what this means for the future of their services so we can recommend next steps. 'The Government inherited an intolerable situation after more than a decade of real-terms cuts and today's settlement is 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.' The DHSC also announced a series of reforms alongside the funding boost, including making the morning-after pill free at NHS pharmacies and boosting financial incentives for pharmacists to identify patients with undiagnosed high blood pressure to take pressure off GPs. 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.' Community Pharmacy England chief executive Janet Morrison said: 'As highly trusted and accessible healthcare locations, community pharmacies have so much to offer patients and the NHS to help shift more care into communities. 'But we came to these negotiations as a sector in crisis – with the impact of a decade's worth of real-terms cuts to funding leaving pharmacy businesses fighting to survive, and closures continuing at an alarming rate. 'We are pleased that this settlement takes a positive first step in the right direction for pharmacies, towards stabilisation and a better future.'
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pharmacies pause action while they examine Government funding deal
Pharmacies across England have paused taking action such as cutting opening hours while they look at a new funding deal from the Government. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has promised to 'rebuild community pharmacy' as it announced it had reached an agreement with Community Pharmacy England for a funding increase over two years. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents 6,000 independent community pharmacies, has previously warned that pharmacists were facing a 'financial cliff edge'. It said the effect of National Insurance and National Living Wage rises would mean pharmacies in England faced £250 million of unplanned costs and recommended its members took collective action from the start of April if there was no sufficient package agreed with the Government. On Monday, the DHSC said it had agreed to a final funding settlement for 2024/25 worth an extra £106 million compared to the previous year, and a further £375 million for 2025/26. It said a further £30 million had also been freed up by devolving funding for blood pressure and contraception services to pharmacies and that it would write off £193 million of debt for community pharmacy owners. The NPA said planned collective action was now paused while it consulted members and worked through the details of the deal. Nick Kaye, chairman of the NPA, said: 'After a decade of 40% cuts to their funding that has left the pharmacy network on its knees, it is good to see a concrete sign that ministers want to support pharmacies. 'No one wants to reduce services through protest action so we'll look carefully at the detail and consult our members, who are facing substantial cost increases from April 1, to understand what this means for the future of their services so we can recommend next steps. 'The Government inherited an intolerable situation after more than a decade of real-terms cuts and today's settlement is 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.' The DHSC also announced a series of reforms alongside the funding boost, including making the morning-after pill free at NHS pharmacies and boosting financial incentives for pharmacists to identify patients with undiagnosed high blood pressure to take pressure off GPs. 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.' Community Pharmacy England chief executive Janet Morrison said: 'As highly trusted and accessible healthcare locations, community pharmacies have so much to offer patients and the NHS to help shift more care into communities. 'But we came to these negotiations as a sector in crisis – with the impact of a decade's worth of real-terms cuts to funding leaving pharmacy businesses fighting to survive, and closures continuing at an alarming rate. 'We are pleased that this settlement takes a positive first step in the right direction for pharmacies, towards stabilisation and a better future.'
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pharmacy funding boost is a ‘step forward' but still ‘falls short', say leaders
A funding boost for pharmacies announced by the Government is a 'step forward' but still 'falls a long way short' of the true cost of providing vital services, health leaders have said. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has promised to 'rebuild community pharmacy' as it announced it had reached an agreement with Community Pharmacy England for a funding increase over two years. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents 6,000 independent community pharmacies, had previously warned that pharmacists were facing a 'financial cliff edge' next month. The group said the effect of National Insurance and National Living Wage rises would mean pharmacies in England faced £250 million of unplanned costs and recommended its members took collective action from the start of April if there was no sufficient package agreed with the Government. On Monday, the DHSC said it had agreed to a final funding settlement for 2024/25 worth an extra £106 million compared to the previous year, and a further £375 million for 2025/26. It said a further £30 million had also been freed up by devolving funding for blood pressure and contraception services to pharmacies and that it would write off £193 million of debt for community pharmacy owners. Nick Kaye, chairman of the NPA, said: 'After a decade of 40% cuts to their funding that has left the pharmacy network on its knees, it is good to see a concrete sign that ministers want to support pharmacies. 'No one wants to reduce services through protest action so we'll look carefully at the detail and consult our members, who are facing substantial cost increases from April 1, to understand what this means for the future of their services so we can recommend next steps. 'The Government inherited an intolerable situation after more than a decade of real-terms cuts and today's settlement is 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: 'We have been clear that the current community pharmacy contract is broken and requires root and branch reform. It is essential for that reform to happen to secure pharmacies and improve services for our communities. 'We are here to work with the Government to deliver the better, more sustainable future for pharmacies and their patients that we all want to see.' The DHSC also announced a series of reforms alongside the funding boost, including making the morning-after pill free at NHS pharmacies and boosting financial incentives for pharmacists to identify patients with undiagnosed high blood pressure to take pressure off GPs. 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.' Community Pharmacy England chief executive Janet Morrison said: 'As highly trusted and accessible healthcare locations, community pharmacies have so much to offer patients and the NHS to help shift more care into communities. 'But we came to these negotiations as a sector in crisis – with the impact of a decade's worth of real-terms cuts to funding leaving pharmacy businesses fighting to survive, and closures continuing at an alarming rate. 'We are pleased that this settlement takes a positive first step in the right direction for pharmacies, towards stabilisation and a better future.'
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pharmacies cut services and opening hours as Reeves's tax raid bites
Thousands of pharmacies are preparing to reduce opening hours and cut free home prescription deliveries as Rachel Reeves's tax raid bites. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has told its 6,000 member pharmacies in England to start scaling back services from April 1, when a wave of new costs come in. The NPA said almost all of its pharmacies were considering reducing opening hours, while 93pc plan to cut back on free home deliveries of medicines. Charities warned that the changes would harm patients and the elderly, with potentially 'tragic consequences'. The changes are being made as pharmacies face a £310m increase in costs as a result of the Chancellor's decision to raise National Insurance for employers, increase the minimum wage and push through business rate changes. The changes take effect from April. Nick Kaye, the NPA's chairman, said: 'This is not a step any one of us wants to take, but we have been left with little choice because in just two weeks new business costs will be hitting local NHS pharmacies across the country.' Up to 90pc of pharmacies' income comes from providing NHS services, including dispensing medicines and seasonal vaccinations. The arrangement leaves the sector highly dependent on NHS funding. The Government is yet to confirm its funding offer for pharmacies for either the 2024-25 or 2025-26 financial years. Years of real-term funding cuts have already led more than 1,500 pharmacies to close across England since 2015. Mr Kaye said: 'We hope that an offer from the Government emerges by April 1 to cover the additional costs which pharmacies will face and start to plug the huge gap in funding created by 10 years of real-terms cuts.' The NPA said the situation 'may jeopardise patient safety if a resolution is not found'. The warning has triggered concerns from consumer groups and charities. Dennis Reed, the director of Silver Voices, a pensioners' advocacy group, said: 'We urge local pharmacists not to cut back on home deliveries as this could have tragic consequences for those older people who are too sick and frail to leave their home.' Caroline Abrahams, Age UK's charity director, said pharmacists played an extremely important role for older people's health, in both dispensing medicines and providing reassurance and advice. Ministers have pushed for pharmacies to play a greater role in healthcare in recent years in an effort to ease pressure on the NHS. Patients are able to get treatment for various common conditions without having to see a GP. Ms Abrahams said: 'Community pharmacies should be supported to play their role in preventing and tackling ill-health amongst people of all ages, particularly in the places where primary care services are under the greatest pressure.' A spokesman for Healthwatch England, a patients' group, said: 'If a community pharmacy does decide to cut its hours or services, it's vital that it tells people in advance and advises them about where else they can go.' The Department of Health and Social Care was contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
