We’re 100% behind our fight for a better deal

We’re picking up huge excitement across our sector about the NPA’s overwhelmingly positive ballot result last week. Colleagues can see we are united in our call for a better deal for our pharmacy network.

The profile we were able to give our cause last week was amazing –with nearly 1,400 mentions in the media it must have been the biggest day in community pharmacy for many years.

We’re not stopping there. The NPA board is 100% behind our strategy and campaigning, and 100% behind the plans which Paul and the amazing NPA team have been rolling out with such success.

The ball is in the Government’s court following our ballot. We are not recommending you take action now - our plan is to assess the Government’s response to your clear message and come back to you with our recommendation, and of course will give all the guidance you need. Of course, in all of this, the decisions about what is best for your pharmacy and your community will be yours.

On Wednesday the NPA met with leading parliamentarians and officials in the House of Commons to talk about how we can put Pharmacy First on a stronger footing – and expand it to create a better service for our communities, and a better future for our network.

We are excited to have launched our new Membership Hub - access your membership services and benefits.

We have strengthened the NPA team with the appointment of Jill Loader, who has held one of the most senior roles in the NHS leading on and negotiating the pharmacy contract in England, to advise us on long term reform of the pharmacy contract.

And we spent the week finalising our contribution to the NHS 10-year plan. We’re calling for urgent action to stabilise the network and a programme of reform that puts community pharmacy at the heart of the Government’s vision for a community-based health care system.

The whole NPA team will be unrelenting in our efforts to raise the pharmacy crisis in the media, and unrelenting in taking your case to decision makers in the corridors of power.

It was fabulous to seem so many brilliant NPA members meeting in Liverpool on Thursday last week. While people are rightly worried about the crisis we face, there’s unstoppable optimism for the service we give our communities and how we can develop.

Our blueprint for a positive NHS 10 year plan

Community pharmacy is at the cusp of biggest reform in our history. We think that the 10-year plan, rather than forcing closure of this highly valued and trusted resource, should recognise that with an aging and ailing population the need to invest to pharmacy is overwhelming.

Our draft submission to the 10 year plan consultation makes the case for investment in healthy living, better access to minor ailment and urgent care in pharmacies and a commitment to pharmacy leading medicines optimisation and ongoing support for those with long term conditions.

NHS England are running a number of events to allow colleagues to feed into the 10 year plan NHSE and CPE are also running a number of briefing events.

We have put together a summary document that we believe outlines the key areas of development opportunity for the new government to invest in for NHS Community Pharmacy. We want to hear what you think –please contact us at independentsvoice@npa.co.uk.

Book tickets now.