Any wish for a unified approach to Government from community pharmacy contractor representatives appear to be as far away as ever, as representatives from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) traded barbs on the best way to influence Government at the Pharmacy Show on Sunday. 

The argument, which had been simmering for the first half an hour of the panel session, exploded in the last five minutes in response to a plea from an audience member for unity when representing contractor concerns to policy makers. He said: “We want one voice that says what contractors want to say, and that is that we are all struggling.”

IPA board member and pharmacy contractor Ian Strachan, a former chair of the NPA, said independents were not Boots, with their health and beauty offer, OTC sales and meal deals, and just 40 per cent of their business related to the NHS. “I’ll still be here tomorrow. Independents, distance selling pharmacies (DSPs), corporates have different business models,” he said. “You have to fight for your members interests, that’s paramount over everything else, including unity.”

“When leadership connects with the hearts and minds of contractors like you, then you get unity,” he continued. "The plight of contractors today requires the right leadership. Serving your interests is not about who can make the loudest noise, it’s about making the right noise. Influencing Government and policy makers demands intelligent, strategic leadership. I believe that exists in the IPA.” 

This is about conviction, not careers, Mr Strachan said. “Damage has been done due to hollow threats of collective action. It was never going to happen because the business models are too different. It’s much broader than banging on about procurement – that will just bounce back in our faces. 

“We have to put the politics to one side and put policy first,” he said. It must come before personal agendas and protective organisational interests. And please, no more parachuting the next soapbox star in. Then they bugger off and we have to pick up the pieces.” 

Paul Rees, chief executive of the NPA, who earlier told delegates that up to 6,000 community pharmacies had engaged with each of its two national Days of Action, said he believed unity was important. “There is one organisation that does act on its own, and that’s IPA. I think that’s unfortunate, because it’s important we work together. 

“We invited IPA to hand over the Save Our Pharmacies petition, and they chose not to come along. We have tried to meet with their chief executive and we’ve been rebuffed. So I would say, here on this stage, name a place, name a time, because we’d love to meet you. We think unity is key.”