Pharmacy and other healthcare leaders have called on the government to ensure primary care services are appropriately ‘integrated and resourced’ to help ease pressures on the rest of the NHS.
The Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA), NHS Confederation’s Primary Care Network, British Dental Association and the Association of Optometrists have united in a letter to health and social care secretary Wes Streeting.
The organisations have appealed to the government for ‘action and sustainable funding’ to support primary care and alleviate pressures.
While calling for a meeting with the health secretary, the groups said resources must be shifted towards primary and community care services to support a transition from a National Health Service to a ‘Neighbourhood Health Service’.
‘We urge you to provide primary healthcare services with sustainable investment, placing them at the core of our healthcare system to ease the pressure off other areas of the NHS,’ the letter said.
‘At a time when the NHS is facing immense pressure, primary healthcare services working in tandem with each other can improve health outcomes, whilst easing the burden on hospitals and each other.’
The groups recognised the increased responsibility taken on by primary healthcare teams – notably pharmacists through the launch of Pharmacy First in England this year.
‘Whilst pharmacists welcomed the recognition of their role in the primary healthcare system, the lack of sustainable funding has actually meant an increase in their financial and workload pressures,’ the letter said about the scheme.
‘In addition, a “broken” reimbursement system, medicine supply shortages, and a funding shortfall have left many pharmacists facing debt and the prospect of closure.’
While citing pressures and challenges faced by other primary care teams, the letter continued: ‘As the front door to the NHS, embedded within the communities surrounding our practices, we are best placed to understand and address local healthcare needs.
‘But the system is not set up in a way to secure maximum benefit from our services.’
The leaders said they viewed the appointment of Mr Streeting as an ‘unprecedented opportunity for change’.
‘We hope you are persuaded of the need to ensure that our primary healthcare services are integrated and resourced so that they can play their full part in your mission to improve the health situation.’
Commenting on the letter, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the IPA, said: ‘There is a golden opportunity to reshape primary care around patients and their communities.
‘Without change, we face further disintegration of vital primary care services and a decrease in health outcomes across society.
‘That is why the leading healthcare bodies are united as never before, offering our support and collaboration to the new government.’
She added: ‘Our sectors stand ready to meet with the new secretary of state to ensure every opportunity to improve primary care is taken and we deliver an NHS fit for the future.’
The Department of Health and Social Care was contacted for comment.
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