Neil

Last week, as Shadow Primary Care Minister, I was granted a UQ on the withholding of Pharmacy First payments to pharmacies. As Chair of @NPA1921, @OlivierPicardUK, said “The work was done. Patients were treated. The NHS benefited. Yet payments are withheld on a technicality.”

Great to have the opportunity with colleagues from across the sector to build on the ⁦@YHEC1⁩ ⁦@NPA1921⁩ economic research into meds optimisation services in community pharmacy in parliament today supported by ⁦@SadikAlHassanMP⁩

Pharmacists, NHS leaders and MPs met in Westminster yesterday to discuss an NPA-commissioned report showing that community pharmacy interventions could save the NHS £1.2 billion and deliver £2.7 billion in health benefits. Chaired by Pharmacist MP Sadik Al-Hassan, the meeting focused on turning evidence into action. As NPA Chair Olivier Picard said: “With the right support, we can achieve significant improvements for patients and the NHS.” This isn’t about asking pharmacies to do more with less – it’s about recognising and utilising the clinical expertise already on our high streets. This is about making a cast iron case for investing in pharmacies - saving the NHS time and money and benefiting millions of patients. 📄 Read the full report: npa.co.uk/news/2025/octo… #CommunityPharmacy #NHS #PublicHealth #HealthcareLeadership

The NPA welcomes today’s @APPGPharmacy report into the future of pharmacy. It’s a rallying cry to save the nation’s community pharmacy network, which has so much to offer patients and the wider healthcare system. pharmacyappg.co.uk

The APPG on Pharmacy has published its latest report, calling for immediate reforms to funding, workforce, and medicines supply to secure pharmacy’s role in NHS transformation. Find the full report and recommendations here: pharmacyappg.co.uk/news

Had a great catch up meeting with ⁦@HelenMorganMP⁩ today in Parliament with ⁦@HenryMGregg⁩ and ⁦@GarethNPA⁩ discussing urgent sector challenges but also the potential of pharmacy to play a key role in shifting care from hospital to community ⁦@NPA1921⁩

It was a pleasure introducing ⁦@HenryMGregg⁩ to ⁦@drlukeevans⁩ today in Parliament. We had great discussions about how community pharmacy and general practice can work closer together to deliver integrated care in the community for patients ⁦@NPA1921⁩ #NHS

It was really nice to meet ⁦@Margaret4DR⁩ MP in Parliament today with ⁦@HenryMGregg⁩ and ⁦@GarethNPA⁩ talking about access to primary care and how community pharmacy is key to delivering the shift from hospitals to community care ⁦@NPA1921⁩ #NHS

Had a really good meeting with ⁦@TaiwoOwatemi⁩ MP today in Parliament with ⁦@HenryMGregg⁩ and ⁦@GarethNPA⁩ talking about community pharmacy’s key role in the implementation of the 10 year NHS plan with the right investment #pharmacy #NHS

It was great catching up with ⁦@SadikAlHassanMP⁩ today in Parliament with ⁦@HenryMGregg⁩ and ⁦@GarethNPA⁩ talking about the future of community pharmacy including the great potential of prescribing services @NPA1921 #pharmacy #NHS

📸 A brilliant turnout at our #AskYourPharmacist parliamentary drop-in yesterday! We were proud to welcome MPs from all four corners of the UK to kick off Ask Your Pharmacist Week - showing cross-party interest in the vital role of community pharmacy. Thank you to: @alexmclabour, @BrianMathewLD, @ClaireforTAY, @gaganmohindra, @gregsmith_uk, @IanRoomeMP, @JeffSmithetc, @Jim4Dartford, @JOCampbellMP, @MPritchardUK, @MarshadeCordova, @Turmaine, @RachaelMaskell, @RicHolden, @rosie_wrighting, @SarahDykeLD, @sojanuk, @steveracemp, @TaiwoOwatemi, @ToniaAntoniazzi, @Perran4CRH, Lord Robathan, Baroness Golding, Richard Quigley MP - and many more! A special shout-out to @HelenMorganMP, who kindly sponsored the event, and to all the NPA members who encouraged their local MP to attend. MPs heard directly from NPA board members about the benefits of pharmacy services and the urgent need for more support from Government and the NHS. We need politicians of all parties to fully understand the value of community pharmacy to their constituents - and consistently back investment in our fantastic, yet under pressure, sector. Thank you to every MP who took time to join us - your interest helps strengthen pharmacy’s place at the heart of local healthcare. #AskYourPharmacist #HealthcareAccess #NHSPharmacy #CommunityPharmacy #PharmacyMatters

Thank you @HelenMorganMP for supporting our Ask Your Pharmacist event in Parliament today and shining a light on the importance of community pharmacy across the nation. #AskYourPharmacist

Following the AGM of the APPG, we are delighted to announce that @SadikAlHassanMP was elected Chair, with @LeeRJdillon, @Paulscriven and @JoePJRobertson elected Vice-Chairs. More information is available on the website, including a short press release: pharmacyappg.co.uk/news

🗳️🍂This autumn, the NPA team - including @NeilNPA, @HenryMGregg, @OlivierPicardUK, Aisling O'Brien and Gareth Jones represented community pharmacy at the UK party conferences, meeting MPs and ministers across all major parties. From Labour to the Lib Dems to the Conservatives, we made the case for investment in pharmacy as a cornerstone of a sustainable NHS. Read how we’re keeping pharmacy front and centre in health policy👇 npa.co.uk/news/2025/octo… #CommunityPharmacy #NHS #HealthPolicy #PharmacyFunding #PartyConferences #NPA

This morning NPA Vice Chair @SukhiBasra1 hosted the @SKinnock in her pharmacy in Victoria as @NHSuk launches a free emergency contraception in all pharmacies in England. This was the second time in the space of two days to speak to him about the massive potential of community pharmacy, with the right levels of support from government.

Minister for Care @SKinnock visited CliniChem pharmacy to see how we're expanding pharmacy services across England. Our 10 Year Health Plan is bringing care closer to home, when you need it most. Learn more: england.nhs.uk/2025/10/free-m…

Today NPA Chief Exec @HenryMGregg and Chair @OlivierPicardUK met with Pharmacy Minister @SKinnock alongside the @IPAPharmacy and @CCApharmacy Demonstrating sector-wide unity to government is so important and we were clear pharmacies were still under significant pressure. We have told the government today that we’re up for working with them to deliver new services but only with a sustainable funding package that closes the funding gap identified by the NHS’s own analysis.

It was a pleasure meeting the new Shadow Health Secretary Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP at the Conservative Party conference. We spoke about the challenges facing #NHS pharmacy but also the opportunity for pharmacies to play a key role in community care & prevention ⁦@NPA1921⁩

Was great meeting ⁦@JoePJRobertson⁩ MP & Member of the Health Select Committee at the Conservative Party conference. We talked about the ⁦@NPA1921⁩ community pharmacy solutions for delivering the 10 year NHS plan #Pharmacy #NHS

Was great speaking at the @ComPharmEngland roundtable at the Conservative Party conference with @drlukeevans Shadow Health Minister. It was a great event with important discussions about how pharmacies are key to the shift from hospitals to community care @NPA1921 #pharmacy #NHS