Despite some brilliant campaigning, and two million members of the public signing up to support pharmacy’s cause against proposed funding cuts, the word is that that these cuts are likely to go ahead anyway.

Some might argue that all that effort and indignation was in vain, others might feel that a well-funded, worthwhile, integrated role for community pharmacy in the NHS is a lost cause. But in light of the post-Brexit chaos spreading from

Westminster, one could argue that the community pharmacy sector is in a relatively stable, even privileged, position. Brexit for many means that their employer might leave the country, be forced to make redundancies or even close down completely. Some workers and professionals can only look forward to a period of prolonged uncertainty, with relatively little scope for progress or innovation.

Community pharmacy’s main paymaster, on the other hand, is not going anywhere
and will continue to provide regular, albeit declining, funding. The independent sector’s tremendous social capital, key position on the high street and within the local health and social care economy provides a springboard from which all sorts of innovative services can be delivered and links to other health and social care services made.