Funding

Expected deadline for funding cuts announcement passes with no word

Our recent Leicestershire federation seminar on ‘Securing your pharmacy future’ attracted over 50 independent contractors from as far afield as Leeds and Kent. With an agenda covering key business survival strategy, the biggest concern on the mind of every pharmacy owner was the financial viability of their business. Keynote speakers included business advisors from pharmacy banker Santander and leading specialist pharmacy agent Christie & Co. Both institutions insist our sector is still buoyant, but they did warn about the impact of eroding pre-tax profitability on pharmacy valuations.

Iain Duncan Smith recently created a furore when he resigned from the government as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Yet, in the midst of the media storm his resignation created, an equally sensational story about the NHS crept under the radar. It came from former Lib Dem MP and minister in the coalition government David Laws, and it concerned the vexed question of how much extra money the NHS actually needs up to the year 2020.

PSNC urges David Cameron to reconsider plans for pharmacy funding cuts

Numark's John D'Arcy tells members in Northern Ireland that profit is not a dirty word

The influence of the BBC’s ‘Dickensian’ theme seems to have reached as far as the NHS just before Christmas, with ruthless Mr Scrooge slashing pharmacy funding in an unprecedented manner. Moreover, he certainly forgot to emerge in 2016 as a reformed and generous man!By imposing a cut of £170m in pharmacy funding for 2016-17, the Global Sum will shrink to £2.63bn and our funding in cash terms will be reduced by a dramatic 6 per cent before we factor in the additional hit from national minimum wage reviews and pension contributions.

A Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine review says that 13 doctors died while the GMC failed to act on the emerging link between doctor suicides and the fitness-to-practise process. The review goes on to say: “The GMC has to protect patients, but it also has a duty of care to those doctors that it investigates”. It is interesting to see the parallels between the GPs’ regulatory body and our GPhC. I am often told by many contractors that the inspectorate is heavy-handed and unhelpful.

Pharmacies looking at variety of ways to reduce costs in light of proposed funding cuts

Pharmacy minister Alistair Burt predicts that up to 3,000 pharmacies could close, with independents hit hardest

Proposals are a "slur" on community pharmacy, says Strachan

Further cuts to pharmacy funding could be on the way, warns PSNC

Strachan warns that government's "dangerous experiment" could cause pharmacy closures

Numark supports members to raise awareness of funding cuts with a toolkit