Engaging with local politicians
Published on: 12th March 2019 | Updated on: 5th February 2026
2026 is a critical year for pharmacy sustainability.
Community pharmacies are under exceptional pressure, and MPs are hearing regularly about NHS challenges from constituents and local services. Pharmacies are delivering more NHS care than ever before — from Pharmacy First consultations to managing medicine shortages and supporting winter resilience.
This page helps you engage with your MP using clear, consistent and evidence-based messages.
Here you’ll find the key points to raise, materials to share, and practical tools to support effective local political engagement throughout 2026.
Your support is greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for everything you’re doing to engage your local MP — it really does make a difference. If you have any questions or need support, please get in touch: comms.team@cpe.org.uk
1. Pharmacies are under extreme pressure this winter
Medicine shortages, rising workload and increased dispensing at a loss are putting unprecedented strain on pharmacy teams and patients.
2. The funding gap is widening and driving closures
Despite recent investment, the annual funding gap remains above £2bn — with 800 fewer pharmacies now than in 2021.
3. Rising staffing and operating costs are becoming unsustainable
National Living Wage increases and higher employer NICs add major cost pressure, and unlike hospitality, community pharmacies receive no relief despite delivering essential NHS services.
4. NHS reliance on pharmacy is growing faster than capacity
Pharmacy First, rising prescription volumes and millions of episodes of unpaid advice show demand continues to increase — but funding and workforce support have not kept pace.
Our key messages for 2026 are set out in our Community Pharmacy Policy Outlook, which brings together the latest evidence on sector pressures, activity levels and what pharmacies need from Government this year.
This is the recommended briefing to share with MPs when contacting them, requesting a meeting, or arranging a pharmacy visit. Using the same core messages nationally and locally helps strengthen our collective voice and ensures consistent, evidence‑based engagement across the sector. When contacting an MP, please attach the Policy Outlook or include a link to it.
Engaging your local MPs can have a real impact — especially when pharmacies across England are facing similar pressures. This step‑by‑step guide helps you plan and deliver effective political engagement using clear, consistent messages.
1. Prepare
- Read the 2026 Policy Outlook and familiarise yourself with the key messages.
- Identify your MP and their interests, committees, or local priorities.
- Gather any relevant local examples — workload, supply issues, staffing pressures, or patient stories.
2. Contact your MP
- Use our template emails and letters to request a meeting or invite them to visit a pharmacy.
- Highlight why 2026 is a critical year for community pharmacy and what you want to discuss.
- Attach or link to the Policy Outlook to give them clear context in advance.
- Read our guidance: Guidance for writing to your MP
3. Meet or host a visit
- For more detailed guidance, read our ‘Guide to Engaging with your local MP’ to plan a short, focused visit.
- Show the real pressures your team is facing — medicine shortages, rising workload, staffing challenges.
- Emphasise what pharmacies need from Government in 2026 to stay open and sustainable.
4. Follow up and amplify
- Send a short thank‑you email with any agreed actions.
- Share photos or posts on social media (if appropriate).
- Complete our engagement feedback form so we can support any follow‑up with national MPs.
MPs are busy, and a well‑structured visit helps ensure your key messages land clearly. If you would like a member of the Community Pharmacy England team to join the meeting or provide additional briefings, please let us know — we’re happy to support.
Where to hold the discussion
- Start with a short conversation in a quiet area (consultation room or back office) to outline the key pressures and what you want the MP to see.
- Then walk them through the dispensary to demonstrate real operational challenges — sourcing medicines, workload, multitasking, and capacity issues.
- If appropriate, show the front counter to highlight patient queues or advice demand.
How to structure the visit (10–20 mins)
- Intro (2 mins)
- Thank them
- Explain why 2026 is so critical
- Set 2–3 key messages (from the Key Messages section)
- Tour & “show not tell” (8–10 mins)
- Show the dispensing bench and explain “dispensing at a loss”
- Show printed stock shortages or wholesaler delays
- Demonstrate workload peaks, prescription volume, and Pharmacy First pressures
- Explain staffing issues and rising costs
- Constituency impact (2–3 mins)
- How many patients you serve
- Any closures locally
- Examples of how shortages or financial pressure affect real people
- If relevant: how many care homes or vulnerable groups you support
- The ask (2 mins)
- “We need your help to secure a sustainable funding settlement”
- “We need urgent action on medicine supply”
- “We need recognition of rising wage/NIC pressures”
- “We’d like you to raise this with Ministers / ask a PQ / attend our event”. (We are happy to help with this, please pass on details directly to us).
Everything you need to engage confidently with your MP and highlight the pressures facing community pharmacy is available below. These resources are designed to help you have clear, consistent and impactful conversations throughout 2026.
Templates and guidance
- Template email to your MP: Template letter to invite MPs to a visit
- MP meeting request letter
- MP pharmacy visit invitation: MP invitation letter for Pharmacy First visit
- If you are unsure about which MPs you need to contact, you can use Parliament’s Find Your MP tool to search for MPs by postcode.
Visit support
- MP visit guidance – how to plan and run an effective visit: A Guide to Engaging with your local MP
- Photography and media tips (optional but helpful if sharing publicly)
Briefings and evidence
- Community Pharmacy in 2026: Policy Outlook (recommended briefing to share February 2026)
- Latest MP briefings and infographics
- Vison for community pharmacy
Examples and case studies
- Real examples of successful MP engagement
- Local stories that bring pharmacy pressures to life
- Press release following MP visit: Press Release for MPs – Winter 2025/26 Flu Season, MP Pharmacy visit general press release
Help us to track political activity across England and support any necessary follow‑up: Report engagement with politicians
For all of our recent MP resources, please visit our external facing page: ‘Information for politicians’ here.
For more information on this topic please email comms.team@cpe.org.uk
