The All-Party Pharmacy Group has announced that it will investigate and scrutinise the government’s reforms of community pharmacy funding.

The group will hold evidence sessions to better understand the detail of the plans and their impact. It will invite pharmacy minister David Mowat to give evidence alongside officials, as well as the representative bodies for pharmacy. It will also invite patient organisations and representatives of other parts of the NHS.

APPG chair Sir Kevin Barron said: “The All-Party Pharmacy Group has long called for more health services from community pharmacies to keep people well and away from GP surgeries and hospitals. The Department of Health wants pharmacies to do that within the lower funding package announced today. We will investigate how the Department will square that circle, how pharmacies will respond, and what it will mean for patients.

“It’s important to me that no community is left without a pharmacy, but also that pharmacies which remain open don’t have to cut back on the services they provide.”