Agenda item

The Committee was reminded that the Council, at its meeting on 3rd December, had passed the following motion on Community Pharmacies which had been proposed by Alderman Copeland and seconded by Councillor Mullan:

“This Council recognises the contribution to society made by Community Pharmacies and notes with growing concern the current financial crisis facing the sector, caused by a serious level of underfunding over the last decade.

The Council agrees to seek an urgent meeting between the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health and an all-party delegation from the Council, along with representatives of the Pharmacies.”

            It was reported that letters had been forwarded subsequently to Mr. G. Greene, Chief Executive of the Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI), and to Mr. R. Pengelly, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health, in relation to the motion.

            The Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI had confirmed shortly afterwards that he would be willing to meet with an all-Party delegation from the Council and with the Permanent Secretary to discuss the motion.  A response was then received from Mr. Pengelly and was presented to the Committee on 22nd February.

            The Committee was reminded that Mr. Pengelly had, within that response, provided details of substantial funding which had been made available in 2018/19 and 2019/20 to community pharmacies and had confirmed that a further £800k had been allocated within the current financial year.  However, he had made no reference to the request to meet with an all-Party delegation from the Council and Community Pharmacy NI, as had been alluded to within the motion.

            At that meeting, the Committee noted the information which had been provided and agreed that a further letter be forwarded to Mr. Pengelly inviting him again to meet with an all-Party delegation from the Council and the Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI.

            A further response had been received from Mr. Pengelly which again outlined the extent of funding which had been allocated to community pharmacies and pointed out that Departmental officials had ongoing contact with CPNI representatives on a wide range of funding issues.  He stated that that represented the most appropriate forum for engagement on funding issues and the development of new contractual arrangements for community pharmacies.  He did not, therefore, feel that a meeting with an all-Party delegation from the Council and with Community Pharmacies NI would be beneficial at this time.

            Mr. Pengelly had then highlighted the difficult and challenging financial environment being faced across the public sector, and by the health service in particular, and concluded by assuring Members that his Department was committed to ensuring that there continued to be a sustainable community pharmacy network and effective contractual arrangements.

The Committee noted the further response which had been received from the Permanent Secretary, Department of Health, in relation to the Council’s motion on Community Pharmacies and agreed that a press release be issued expressing the Committee’s disappointment that the Permanent Secretary had refused to meet with an all-Party deputation from the Council to discuss such an important issue.