The Community Pharmacy Clinical Services Review has the potential to improve the outlook for community pharmacy, the Company Chemists’ Association has said. “This report could be a watershed moment for pharmacy after the challenging year we’ve had, and we hope to start 2017 on a more positive footing,” commented the organisation’s chair, Margaret MacRury.

The CCA welcomed the review as a “positive, independent report”, identifying some clear and practical recommendations for the future deployment of community pharmacy. 

“We are pleased to see the recognition of pharmacists and their teams being able to take a key role in supporting long term conditions and case finding within new models of care for example, as we have previously demonstrated and advocated this approach through the Community Pharmacy Futures projects," she said.

The organisation looks forward to hearing NHS England’s response, said Ms MacRury. “It is evident that this review can align with the vision set out in the Community Pharmacy Forward View and we hope that NHS England, the Department of Health and the wider health and care community will work with the sector to deliver it.”  

A Boots UK spokesperson added:

“As a leading provider of pharmacy in the UK we believe the review to be very positive for community pharmacy. We welcome the recommendations outlining an increased role for pharmacy through the delivery of pharmacy services.

“We feel it is critical that continued on-going collaboration between the community pharmacy sector and NHS England will help to remove some of the barriers highlighted and aide the implementation of pragmatic plans that can speedily bring these recommendations to life at scale across England for the benefit of all patients.

“We will continue to work with the sector to support the acceleration of some of these recommendations, to demonstrate that it is investment, not cuts that are needed in community pharmacy.”