Pharmacy Voice lobbies MPs as Health & Social Care Bill enters critical stage

Date: 05 09 2011

Pharmacy Voice is keeping up pressure on MPs as the Government’s NHS reform legislation reaches its critical Third Reading stage in the House of Commons.  Pharmacy Voice has written to senior parliamentarians to propose amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill.  These would help create a fairer and more effective commissioning process, keep bureaucracy to a minimum, and ensure that the needs of the community are properly taken into account whilst tapping into the expertise of the full range of local healthcare providers, including pharmacy.

Pharmacy Voice chief executive, Rob Darracott, said: 

“Since the NHS reforms were first proposed, Pharmacy Voice has worked tirelessly to keep pharmacy high on the political agenda, and at this critical parliamentary stage we are issuing specific legislative recommendations that will improve the Bill.  Following lobbying from Pharmacy Voice and others, the Government has already committed to involving a wider range of healthcare professionals in decision-making, and to meaningful accountability in commissioning arrangements.   We now want this commitment enshrined in law and are asking MPs to support amendments to this effect.  At the same time as lobbying parliament, we continue to develop relationships with emerging decision-makers in the reformed structures, including local government, clinical commissioning groups and national agencies in transition.   Tomorrow, Pharmacy Voice meets with local government leaders for a roundtable discussion on advancing public health and independent living.”

Throughout the passage of the legislation, Pharmacy Voice has called for: 

• The proper balance of national and local action.  Whilst a degree of local customisation is desirable, the government must take responsibility for ensuring universal access to critical services;  the NHS Commissioning Board should, where appropriate, develop national commissioning templates to ensure effective commissioning
• Community pharmacy to be represented and consulted throughout the new commissioning system; there should be a formal duty on NHS Commissioning Board and clinical commissioning groups to consult all relevant healthcare providers
• Rigorous accountability within any new structures, so that the public can be assured of high quality care and value for money
• A commitment that the NHS Commissioning Board will ensure that health and wellbeing boards complete Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments and that local authorities will continue to carry out the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments in full and in their current form,  consulting primary care providers including community pharmacists in doing so
• Recognition of the role of community pharmacy in achieving better medicines use, improving access to care, and public health
• Uninterrupted investment and forward momentum on the NHS frontline

Pharmacy Voice worked with the influential NHS Future Forum, which reviewed the NHS reform proposals during the Spring and Summer.  A formal Future Forum listening exercise took place at the National Pharmacy Association conference in May.