Community pharmacies

That this House notes the perilous state of community pharmacies, which are struggling to survive across the country; recognises that pharmacies are at the heart of our communities, are an essential part of health and care services, and are relied upon by millions of people every day; further notes that since 2017, 1,200 pharmacies have closed their doors, with an additional 1,000 pharmacies set to close by 2027; regrets that the last Conservative Government failed to stem pharmacy closures and watched on as services deteriorated; further regrets the Government’s decision to hike employers’ National Insurance contributions (ENICs), which will force pharmacies to lay-off staff and cut services; expresses alarm that, after 11 months, the Government has still not announced a contract for pharmacies for the current financial year; also notes that no funding has been announced for Pharmacy First beyond March, and that this could threaten access to prescribing and primary care; believes that investing in the pharmacy sector and expanding pharmacy services is essential for easing pressure on the rest of the health service, and that an invest-to-save approach in healthcare must include pharmacies as a matter of priority; and calls on the Government to cancel the ENICs increase, deliver fairer funding for pharmacies, stop pharmacy closures, end pharmacy deserts, work with pharmacies to address medicine shortages, and support pharmacists to help save our NHS by being the strong, dynamic and innovative pillar of primary care they can and want to be.