The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has commissioned Professor David Taylor of University College London to investigate the implications of all-time high
inflation rates on community pharmacies in the UK.
Professor Taylor's will assess rates of inflation affecting community pharmacy across the UK, using public data sources whilst examining inflated costs in the
context of the current five year contractual framework in England (2019-2024).
He would review the EY (Ernst & Young) report into pharmacy funding, to identify whether current inflationary pressures could change any of the findings and
consider the policy implications and impacts of inflationary pressures, including pharmacy's ability to prepare for a more clinically focused future and maintain
current core services.
NPA chief executive Mark Lyonette said: "Inflationary pressures are eating into the limited funds provided by the NHS for pharmacy services. We believe the real
level of inflation for pharmacy businesses could be higher than the CPI inflation rate, which itself is at a 40 year high. Staff and locum costs in the sector as
well as medicines costs have risen dramatically.