Rishi Sunak has described himself as “very pro-pharmacy” on a visit to a Southampton pharmacy his mother used to run.

Mr Sunak made the visit to Bassett Pharmacy yesterday on the campaign trail as part of the Tory leadership race against rival Liz truss.

He told the PA news agency: “This was the family business that I grew up in, working just behind us in the dispensary and the shop.

“It really informed who I am actually, these are the values that I was brought up with, strong family, community service, small business.

“That shaped me to being the person I am today, these are my roots and it is those values that I want to bring to government. 

“I want to create a country where hard work is rewarded, where families are strong and supported and where aspiration is something that is celebrated.

He spoke of his desire to “make sure we back our fantastic doctors and nurses with the resources they need” and free up capacity in the health service “without having to put yet more money in the NHS.”

Commenting on the visit, National Pharmacy Association chief executive Mark Lyonette said: “If Rishi Sunak is serious about NHS reform, he would do well to start with a ‘pharmacy first’ approach to prevention and treatment which has the potential to transform the way people access NHS care.

“That can only happen with a sustained increase in funding for our sector, which is facing much harder times now than it ever did when Mr Sunak’s parents owned a pharmacy years ago.” 

NPA board member Hiten Patel raised these funding issues with Mr Sunak on Tuesday this week when he visited West Harrow for a separate campaign event.