MPs call for increased support for pharmacies, following autumn budget  

In a debate in Parliament, MPs raised their concerns about the impact of the 2024 Budget on community pharmacies.

Joe Robertson MP, Conservative member of the Health and Social Care Committee, quoted CPE analysis that these measures will ‘cost pharmacists £50 million, even after taking into account the employment allowance’.

Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride MP said: “we know that all sorts of businesses have been hit by this tax increase, including many that directly support our public services: our hospices, our GPs and our pharmacists.”

Daisy Cooper MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, also voiced her concern about the impact of these budget measures: “Over the past six weeks, all of us have heard concerns about the impact the changes will have on GPs, dentists, pharmacists and social care providers—all critical organisations to getting the NHS and care services back on their feet.”

We have been clear, including to the pharmacy Minister Stephen Kinnock MP, that the Budget will take hundreds of millions of pounds out of the sector, and said that without mitigation, Government can “expect to see closures continuing alongside further serious service deterioration”.

We produced a specific MP briefing outlining the impact of the Budget for pharmacies which we have used to ensure as many MPs are briefed as possible. We would encourage pharmacy owners to use our updated guidance to write to your local MPs to ensure your voice is heard.

Janet Morrison, Community Pharmacy England Chief Executive, said:

“We are grateful to all MPs who continue to speak up for their local community pharmacies. These changes could hasten a ‘house of cards’ collapse in the network and pose risks to the safety of medicine supply.

“Urgent action is needed now to stem these costs and immediately re-set the contract sum to keep pharmacies afloat and to protect communities’ access to medicine supply and health advice.”