Pharmacies’ vital dispensing role under threat without urgent action

A new report has highlighted the vital, yet underappreciated role that community pharmacy dispensing plays in the NHS and across communities nationwide.

The report, by the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), sets out how community pharmacy dispensing is the backbone of accessible, safe, and equitable healthcare, but is under unsustainable pressure.

Pharmacies’ vital dispensing role under threat without urgent action | CCA

In response to the report, we have released the following statement to the press:

Our CEO Janet Morrison said:

“This new CCA report provides yet more evidence of what community pharmacy teams experience every day: dispensing is a critical and highly skilled service that delivers enormous value to patients, the NHS and wider society. But it also confirms the stark reality that this essential service is under extreme pressure after years of underfunding.

Sustained investment, fairer reimbursement arrangements, and operational reforms are urgently needed to keep pharmacies open and patients safe. Community Pharmacy England will continue to use evidence like this to press Government for meaningful action. The future stability of medicines access and supply depends on it.”