Ludlow MP welcomes £300 million cash boost to support community pharmacies
South Shropshire MP Philip Dunne has welcomed a £300 million cash boost for community pharmacies to ensure they can continue to carry out essential services during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Government's funding injection will support pharmacies across England, including those south of the county, and will help them to provide critical services to protect community health, including supplying medicines and providing medical advice to patients, during a period of unprecedented demand.
A total of £200 million was paid on April 1 to pharmacy contractors, alongside their normal monthly payments from the NHS Business Services Authority, and a further £100 million will be allocated on May 1.
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The Department of Health and Social Care has also reduced the number of services that community pharmacies are required to deliver to allow them to prioritise the most important tasks, but they will continue to receive their full NHS funding.
During this period, pharmacies will not be required to pilot new services or carry out non-critical administrative tasks.
Mr Dunne, who is also a former health minister, said: “Coronavirus has placed an enormous pressure on our community pharmacies, which is why I am really pleased the Government is giving them a £300 million cash boost to help support the vital role they play as we deal with this disease.
“Whilst businesses and venues have been instructed to remain closed – pharmacies are an important exception to this, they can remain open and continue to operate as normally as possible.
"For people who are shielding or self-isolating, pharmacies can deliver prescriptions to their door, or work with volunteer support groups to collect prescriptions, so that everyone can get the medicine they need without breaching social distancing guidelines.”
