Our response to Pharmacy First expansion election pledge

The Conservative Party has made a series of election pledges on healthcare, which include a commitment to expand Pharmacy First.

Community Pharmacy England has issued the following statement in response.

Our CEO Janet Morrison said:

“The introduction of Pharmacy First was an important milestone for community pharmacies, recognising the value of this local healthcare network in supporting the public and the wider NHS. Thousands of patients have already benefitted from the service, and we’ve been calling for its expansion so that even more people can make use of the expertise of pharmacists.

However, there is still work to be done to cement Pharmacy First’s long-term success. Years of financial squeezing have pushed pharmacies to the brink of collapse and, without urgent investment, there will be disastrous consequences not only for this service but also for the future of community pharmacies. We urge all political parties to commit to working with us to introduce a sustainable funding model alongside any development or expansion of pharmacy services.”