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The Liberal Democrats have urged the Government to “put local pharmacies on a sustainable financial footing” by “properly rewarding Pharmacy First” in a new briefing on primary care delivery.

The political party’s Liberal Vision for Primary Healthcare policy paper, which was passed as a motion at its annual conference in Brighton this week, says Labour should “supercharge Pharmacy First,” expand pharmacy services and “integrate them fully into the NHS App for 24/7 booking”.

The Liberal Democrats called on Labour to widen access to pharmacy services, making it “fairer for rural and coastal communities”.

Other recommendations included “improving medicines safety information,” reviewing prescription charge exemptions and “embedding clinical pharmacists and other qualified professionals” in primary care teams.

The policy paper argued: “Primary care is the front door to the NHS, delivering 90% of all public interactions with our health service. Yet, after a decade of Conservative underfunding, the Labour Government is continuing to treat primary care as an afterthought. 

“With satisfaction in the NHS falling to just 26 per cent, GP surgeries, community pharmacies and dental clinics are being stretched to breaking point.

“Under Labour, nearly half of the public are avoiding contacting their GPs and millions of those who do are waiting over 28 days for an appointment.”

Noting that “record numbers” of pharmacies have closed in recent years, the party said “the share of NHS spending going to primary care shrank even as demand rose”.

It set out its commitment “to fix the front door of the NHS, restore patient choice, end dental deserts and ensure preventative care is accessible before health problems turn into emergencies”.

Related: Liberal Democrat analysis reveals constituencies have fewer than 10 pharmacies