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The Company Chemists' Association (CCA)'s research has found that between 2015 and 2022 more than 40 per cent of permanent community pharmacy closures took place in the 20 per cent most deprived parts of England. The association has analysed the NHS data and found that between 2015 and 2022, 808 pharmacies closed permanently in England. In that period, only 138 new pharmacies opened - a net loss of 670 community pharmacies. It also examined where permanent closures had taken place. "41% of net permanent closures had taken place in the top 20% most deprived areas in England. Meanwhile, only 9% of net permanent closures took place in the top 20% least deprived areas." Although the latest figures for 2021/22 suggest that the overall rate of closures may be slowing down, the proportion of pharmacies permanently shutting in more deprived areas has only increased. An even larger share of pharmacies that permanently shut in 2021/22 occurred in the most deprived areas compared with the previous fiscal year: 44% of net closures took place within the bottom two IMD deciles.

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has highlighted a worrying trend of increasing numbers of pharmacy closures in England, which is disproportionately affecting the most deprived communities in the country. With 338 more pharmacies closed this year, an average of eight pharmacies closed per week, there has been a net loss of 1,008 pharmacies in England since 2015, the CCA said. Between 2015 and June 2023, maximum number of pharmacies were closed in the 20 per cent most deprived neighbourhoods of the country, with 37.5 per cent of the total closures occurring in Indices of Multiple Deprivation deciles 1 and 2. The association has raised concern that "permanent closures will undermine healthcare accessibility in deprived areas, where access tends to be more limited despite greater need."

Amid the ongoing furore over shortages of Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test kits that led pharmacy staff to bear customers' wrath, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Company Chemists Association (CCA) have jointly appealed the public to be "patient and courteous to pharmacy teams". In an open letter, the two organisations have urged patients and customers to be patient, courteous and safe while visiting their local pharmacies. Highlighting the efforts put in by healthcare workers to keep everyone safe through this tough winter, the two organisations said the pressure of Covid-19 and shortage of LFD kits have sometimes led to verbal abuse of pharmacy staff. Mark Lyonette, NPA chief executive said: "The vast majority of pharmacy customers and patients are polite and understanding. The supply situation with Lateral Flow Tests is stretching people's patience, but that's no excuse for abusive behaviour and people need to understand the constraints on pharmacy teams at this time." Alongside their routine job of providing medicines, health advice and a range of NHS services, pharmacies have put in extra effort to protect people during the pandemic.

Community pharmacy workforce is in a fragile condition and faced a shortfall of 3,000 pharmacists in England over a period of five years, a recent research conducted by the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has revealed. It noted that over the last five years, the net growth of community pharmacists in England a year stood at 733. This is much lower than the required average growth of 1,025, based on data reported by the Health Education England workforce survey from 2021. Acknowledging the discrepancies in the data calculation, the paper published by the association has used "the best available data" to highlight recent changes to the community pharmacy workforce in England. The report noted that despite an increase in the number of pharmacists, many contractors reported an increase in pharmacist vacancies. They also reported a significant increase in locum hourly pay rates, indicating demand exceeds supply.

The Company Chemist Association (CCA) highlighted its concerns around the recruitment of pharmacists into Primary Care Networks as well as the need for additional investment. Commenting on the Ipsos survey findings, the Malcolm Harrison, the Chief executive of the CCA said: "We welcome the findings of the Ipsos survey, confirming that patients value the quality of service and advice community pharmacies routinely provide. "We are very concerned however that this cancer detection pilot, and all other pharmacy services, are at risk if the NHS is not prepared to inject urgently needed funding into the sector." He stated that without substantial investment, "we will see the continued erosion of the service pharmacies can provide." In addition to the need for critical additional funding the association is also calling on the NHS to pause the recruitment of pharmacists into GP surgeries. He said: "Patients are suffering because the demand for pharmacists in England is now significantly greater than that which the existing workforce can deliver."

Community pharmacies will be able to deliver approximately 15 million blood pressure screenings by 2026, revealed the Company Chemists' Association (CCA)'s new research. This will also prevent 15,000 people from suffering heart attacks or strokes. CCA has called the Government to take up their offer and commission pharmacies as the first port of call for cardiovascular care. "Thousands of lives can be saved with ambitious commissioning and the investment to match," said CCA. There is an opportunity to use the expertise of community pharmacy to go further and provide the care these newly identified patients' need. To do this the sector needs funding and workforce. The association said: "Community pharmacy is under great financial pressure, suffering a real term funding cut of over 30% over 8 years. With funding, the sector can transform to deliver this critical need for patients. Whilst there are plans to train Independent Prescribers (IPs), there are no clear roles for them to use these skills. There is a need to accelerate training plans to allow pharmacists to deliver the service described here and play their part in CVD management."

Labour's Paulette Hamilton has raised concerns regarding the increasing reliance on pharmacy technicians in clinical practice due to staffing shortages within pharmacies. At the recent Pharmacy Inquiry session, Hamilton highlighted the mounting pressure on technicians to take on more responsibilities beyond their qualifications, attributing it to the launch of Pharmacy First in January. With almost 50,000 Pharmacy First consultations conducted in the first month alone as per a report by the Company Chemists' Association, Hamilton expressed apprehension about technicians being classified under the broad term of "pharmacy professionals," blurring the distinction between their roles and those of clinical pharmacists. She further drew parallels between this situation and the scrutiny faced by physician associates (PAs) in GP practices following a patient's death due to misdiagnosis and cautioned against technicians performing tasks beyond their expertise and urged policymakers to prevent similar incidents in pharmacy settings. Health Minister Dame Andrea Leadsom responded by defending the current approach, denying any "blurring of the edges" and emphasizing patient safety as the top priority.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE), the Company Chemists' Association (CCA), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) on Tuesday (5 March) released a joint manifesto for community pharmacy in anticipation of the upcoming general election expected later this year. The manifesto has been designed for widespread use within the community pharmacy sector to facilitate engagement with political parties and parliamentary candidates. In their #VotePharmacy manifesto, the pharmacy bodies have highlighted a robust six-point plan to unleash the potential of pharmacy. Election candidates are urged to express their support in six key areas, which include: Filling the funding gap and committing to long-term sustainable funding to empower pharmacies to deliver more NHS care. Enhancing the community pharmacy workforce to ensure they can meet the evolving needs of patients.

Jackie Giltrow and Jose Moss have been appointed as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Community Pharmacy Patient Safety group, respectively, bringing with them a wealth of experience and expertise in pharmacy practice. Supported by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and hosted by the Company Chemists' Association (CCA), the CPPSG serves as a collaborative platform for large community pharmacy organisations to openly share and learn from each other's experiences. A CPPSG Chair now, Jackie Giltrow, Clinical Governance Lead at Paydens Limited is a seasoned pharmacist and expert in risk management and patient safety. With nine years of experience as a member of the CPPSG, Giltrow's appointment represents a continuation of her longstanding dedication to advancing patient safety initiatives within community pharmacy settings.

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has raised concern that pharmacies may face challenges in providing placements to pharmacy students graduating in 2025 due to shortages of designated prescribing practitioners (DPPs). From the academic year 2025/26, all pharmacy students will be required to complete 90 hours of training with designated prescribing practitioners prior to their registration. However, the CCA has raised doubts regarding the availability of these healthcare professionals to provide such training. The association said: "We are concerned that pharmacies will be unable to secure DPPs. This will result in a significant reduction in the number of Foundation Pharmacist placements available within the community pharmacy sector. Consequently, a significant number of graduates leaving university next year will, unfortunately, struggle to find employment in their chosen career." As per the CCA, they have repeatedly raised their concerns with NHS England and cautioned them about the potential consequences arising from the lack of DPPs.

In a unified effort to improve women's healthcare, four leading organisations-the Company Chemists' Association (CCA), the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH)-are calling for the commissioning of a National Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) service in England. They are proposing that this service be provided free of charge through community pharmacies to women of all ages across the country. They emphasised that such a service would "not only transform access to care for all women, but directly tackle health inequalities and vastly improve health outcomes."

Pharmacy owners have less than a week to complete the mandatory 2023 Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey, which closes on Sunday, December 17. The NHS Business Services Authority sent an email with a survey link to pharmacy owners on October 23, 2023. In certain cases, such as Company Chemists' Association member companies and other multiple pharmacy groups, head offices will centrally complete the survey. "If you're unsure whether the survey will be completed centrally, please seek guidance from your head office," Community Pharmacy England has said. Since 2022, completing the annual NHS England community pharmacy workforce survey has been a Terms of Service requirement for pharmacy owners.

The ongoing pharmacist workforce crisis has posed a significant risk to patients' access to care, medicines and advice - particularly affecting the elderly and vulnerable living in areas with health inequalities. Many from the sector have raised concerns about this issue with the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) recently acknowledging the shortage of pharmacists or pharmacy technicians in the country to meet the needs of patients and the NHS. The trade body representing almost 50 per cent of the community pharmacy sector said that pharmacy teams are exhausted after working tirelessly during the pandemic, adding that Covid, Brexit and NHS reforms have exacerbated the shortage. Covid and winter-related sickness absences are adding to the strain and with Brexit it has become difficult to attract overseas pharmacists to the UK.

Since the introduction of the 2019 NHS Long-Term Plan, several policy commitments have surfaced, presenting a definitive 'blueprint' for community pharmacy in England. The Company Chemists Association has identified four crucial commitments that, when integrated, hold the potential to revolutionise patient care through community pharmacies. "Each commitment is like a crucial piece of a puzzle," CCA said. "For the transformation of patient access through community pharmacy to be successful, all these pieces must come together harmoniously. Otherwise, the picture will remain incomplete." The four major pieces of the puzzle coined by CCA include: * Building on education and training reforms to increase the size and capability of the workforce. * Expanding the number of clinical services commissioned and delivered in community pharmacy. * Introducing digital enablers which underpin service delivery. * Introducing legislative changes to increase capacity and allow the delivery of more patient-facing clinical care.

There is clear evidence that the majority of distance selling pharmacies are operating in breach of their NHS contracts, and a failure to properly regulate 'pseudo' distance selling pharmacies is leading to local pharmacy closures, the Company Chemists' Association has reported. According to the CCA's recent findings, 72 per cent of DSPs dispense over 50 per cent of their prescriptions to patients within a single postcode area within 10 miles of the pharmacy. "Operating within constrained geographical regions, pseudo-DSPs achieve reduced overheads and operational costs by focusing on localised marketing and medicine delivery. They compete against local brick-and-mortar pharmacies, causing them to lose vital trade," the CCA claimed, based on its recent survey - The Impact of Pseudo Distance Selling Pharmacies. "As per their terms of service, DSPs are obligated to provide prescription delivery nationwide, extending beyond local patients," said the CCA, adding that the financial savings resulting from the lack of patient access are balanced by the necessity to function on a national scale.

Trade bodies have reiterated the call for more funding in response to the reports that ministers are considering a Pharmacy First scheme amid the NHS strike. The Sunday Telegraph reported that pharmacies could be drafted in to help the NHS to cope when other healthcare workers take industrial action. But, a PSNC committee member has warned on Monday that the government suggestions are "categorically impossible" without extra funding. The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has echoed the sentiment, saying pharmacy network is on the brink of collapse. "We welcome plans for a Pharmacy First scheme in England. However, after eight years of funding cuts, the pressures on community pharmacies are simply untenable," Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the CCA, said.

The pharmacy bodies have expressed a deep concern over Lloyds Pharmacy's announcement on plans to close all pharmacy branches located in Sainsbury's before the end of 2023. Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) Chief Executive Janet Morrison said: "This significant shrinkage by the second largest pharmacy chain is an extremely worrying development and one of the clearest signals yet of just how much all community pharmacies are struggling to make ends meet. We know that many are at breaking point." She added: "We understand that LloydsPharmacy will be in touch directly with affected staff and patients at this difficult time. As these pharmacies close, other pharmacies locally will be braced for even more pressures as they try to cope with increased demand." "The announcement by LloydsPharmacy will be of concern to staff, patients, the public and the community pharmacy sector alike," Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the Company Chemists' Association (CCA). Pharmacists, and other employees, working at pharmacies owned and operated by LloydsPharmacy in Sainsbury's have been told that the group of more than 200 pharmacies will be closed this year as LloydsPharmacy will be ending their relationship with the supermarket chain.

Pharmacy Minister, Will Quince received flu vaccination and blood pressure check at his visit to a Boots pharmacy in Westminster arranged by the Company Chemists' Association (CCA). The Boots pharmacist, Flavia, explained to the Minister the broad range of services the pharmacy delivers, from the new medicines service to emergency contraception and the community pharmacy consultation service. The Minister witnessed first-hand much of what the community pharmacy sector has to offer patients and the NHS. Malcolm Harrison Chief Executive of the CCA said: "We share the Minister's vision on how community pharmacies and their teams can contribute to the 'Plan for Patients' set out by the Secretary of State. It is great to have the support of the Minister and we are excited for the future of pharmacy.

Pharmacy bodies have welcomed the new minister in charge of the profession amid warnings that he will find the sector in a state that is "more fragile that ever" due to "untenable funding and workforce pressures". Neil O'Brien was re-appointed as parliamentary under secretary of state in the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on October 25 and was later assigned the pharmacy brief. The Conservative MP for Harborough - who will have a wide-ranging portfolio of responsibilities, including primary care and pharmacy - has taken over the position from Will Quince MP, who had a brief stint as pharmacy minister but remains at the department on a different role. O'Brien was was handed a junior minister's job at DHSC on 7 September 2022 in the government led by Liz Truss but fellow Conservative Quince was assigned primary care duties including pharmacy. Welcoming him to his new role, The Company Chemists' Association said that the minister would find that the community pharmacy sector was "more fragile than ever" with untenable pressures over funding and workforce.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is seeking views from all community pharmacy owners about the pressures faced this autumn season. A survey has been launched as the "November Pre-Committee Opinion Poll" until 6 November to seek views from independents and non-Company Chemists' Association (CCA) members. The results of the poll will be sent to the head offices of CCA multiples next week for discussion at the November Committee Meeting. CPE confirmed: "The results of these polls and the outcomes of the meeting will be reported back to the sector afterwards. They said that the survey "will be used to feed into our ongoing work to press for an uplift to core funding by enhancing our evidence base of what pharmacy owners are experiencing."