Leaders hope the 10-Year Plan won’t be ‘shredded’ as the PM steps down

Pharmacy leaders hope the 10-Year Health Plan won’t be ‘shredded and disposed of’ should Andy Burnham become the next Prime Minister.

The newly-elected MP for Makerfield and former Greater Manchester Mayor said today that he will stand to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.

Former health secretary Wes Streeting has backed Mr Burnham as the next leader of the Labour party, following the Prime Minister’s resignation this morning.

Sir Keir announced his resignation in an emotional speech on the steps of 10 Downing Steet, following poor local election results in May, ministerial resignations and plunging popularity ratings.

No official party timetable has been announced, but in his resignation speech Sir Keir said contenders to replace him would have between 9 and 16 July to pull together the necessary support to stand.

The chair of the National Pharmacy Association, Olivier Picard, said: ‘The real issue is that we are once again left in the dark.

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‘I do hope that the 10-Year Plan will not be thrown away, shredded or disposed of. I hope that that vision will continue and there will be some continuity with [the pharmacy minister] Stephen Kinnock and other ministers. If there are changes, we’ll adapt as we always do.’

‘Andy Burnham has been involved in delivering locally commissioned services within the Greater Manchester area, so he has a track record of making things happen. Knowing that he will likely be Prime Minister is fantastic, because he's now going to hold the government’s purse.

‘He genuinely cares about primary care and delivering for patients and communities, so hopefully he will make more funding available to us in pharmacies and GPs, so that we can deliver better for patients.’

Mr Burnham has overseen devolved health in Manchester while serving as mayor and is also a former health secretary and shadow health secretary.

His win in the Makerfield by-election last Thursday, where he successfully held off a challenge from Reform UK, cleared a path for him to return to Westminster and launch a formal leadership bid.

Posting on social media after Sir Keir’s resignation Mr Burnham said ‘Keir has given huge service to our country, and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period.

‘His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.’

Chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, wished Sir Keir well for the future following his resignation.

She worried about the impact of ‘further uncertainty’ at a time when the NHS and the community pharmacy sector need stability and a clear direction.

She said: ‘With Andy Burnham widely expected to be the next Prime Minister, his experience as a former health secretary means he understands the pressures facing the NHS. We welcome his focus on issues such as business rates in his recent by-election and look forward to working with him to ensure greater fairness for community pharmacies.

‘Whoever takes on the responsibility of leading the country must understand that pharmacies are the front door to the NHS. The next Government must listen to the sector and provide the certainty and support needed to protect patient access to care in communities across the country.’

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Meanwhile, Community Pharmacy England’s director of NHS services Alastair Buxton said he hoped a Burnham premiership would convert words into action on prevention.

Speaking at the Community Pharmacy and General Practice Conference on 22 June, Mr Buxton said: ‘Well, whoever the new Prime Minister is, if it is somebody from Manchester, we know he's had a big focus on prevention.

‘So, I hope that will genuinely, for the first time ever, move from being words to action, but we need funding to get people to create teams, start with before we can do anything locally.’

Also speaking at the conference Sir John Oldham, former advisor to the Department of Health and Social Care, highlighted the fact that Andy Burnham was a 'devolver' suggesting local areas might get more autonomy in the future.

In Sir Keir’s resignation speech, he said that under his leadership Labour secured ‘the fastest fall in NHS waiting lists for 17 years’ but that the party has been asking whether he is ‘best placed to lead us into the next general election’.

Sir Keir said: ‘I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question. And I accept that answer with good grace.

‘Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision.’

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He added that he will ask the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to set out a timetable with nominations opening on 9 July and completed by the summer recess.

Sir Keir said: ‘I will remain in post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete. And I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power.

‘I will also give my successor my full and unequivocal support, knowing that they will inherit a Britain that is far stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago, better prepared for the challenges ahead, and better able to ensure the Labour Party secures a second term in office.’