‘Tonight: ‘Pharmacies: The New NHS Frontline?’ A documentary that was produced to explore the challenges encountered by the community pharmacy sector and the resulting effects on patients. Collective efforts from various sectors in the community of pharmacies in England, aimed to bring attention to the significant crisis affecting English pharmacies and shed light on the profound challenges they are currently facing.

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Watch the Tonight programme on-demand

Read an ITV News article about the documentary

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As highlighted in the documentary ‘Tonight: ‘Pharmacies: The New NHS Frontline?’, the frontline experience for pharmacy teams is indeed challenging, with owners and staff stretched beyond belief. CEO of Community Pharmacy England, Janet Morrison, pointed out global supply issues, heightened pressures, escalating costs, and cutbacks that both pharmacies and their patients are currently contending with. Furthermore, the interview with Ian Strachan, a Committee Member of Community Pharmacy England, conducted at his pharmacies, emphasized the tangible and real-world consequences of these challenges. The discussions brought to light the intricate web of difficulties faced by the community pharmacy sector, spotlighting the need for collaborative efforts and solutions to navigate and mitigate these issues effectively these pressures.

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As Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, Janet Morrison said:

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“It is critical that we keep highlighting the crisis facing pharmacies, and the impact it has on patients and local communities, so we were pleased to be able to do so in a primetime TV programme. The documentary captured the issues well, and in a way that was simple and easy to understand. This all helps to build wider awareness of the problems, supporting the case for more investment and support for pharmacies. Our thanks go to the ITV team and all the pharmacists and others who took part in the programme.

“People in local communities recognise that community pharmacies are integral to the fabric of their daily lives, as the interviews in the programme made clear. And the documentary also laid bare the impact that it can have on patients when pharmacy services or medicines are not available, whether because of supply issues or because pharmacies are being forced to stop providing free services due to financial pressures.

“The ITV findings on pressures were sadly consistent with our own regular polling of pharmacy owners and with the findings of our Pressures Survey last year. Unfortunately, we expect that the results of this year’s survey – which will launch in early March – will make for yet more distressing reading as the situation for pharmacies remains incredibly difficult. Capturing this data remains a critical part of our evidence-gathering supporting the case for more funding and support for community pharmacy.

“ITV also heard from some pharmacists who said they did not feel confident in the run up to the launch of the Pharmacy First service. With still several weeks to go, our training programme continues and we would encourage all pharmacy teams to make the most of the resources available. Previous polling and preliminary results from our January polling suggest that the majority of the sector feel positive about the service, and also that most people are finding our webinars and other resources helpful.  Pharmacy First is a huge step forwards for community pharmacy, accompanied by the most significant investment in many years, and it has been encouraging to see so many people taking part in our training webinars. However, nearly a decade of funding cuts are severely impacting the sector and we are also continuing to fight for the further investment and help that community pharmacies desperately need.”

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The introduction of Pharmacy First marks a significant stride forward for the community pharmacy sector, supported by the most substantial investment in many years. It has been heartening to witness the active participation of numerous individuals in training webinars. Despite these positive developments, it is crucial to acknowledge that nearly a decade of funding cuts has taken a toll on the sector. We remain dedicated to advocating tailored fit services and support that community pharmacies urgently require. The ongoing efforts to address the challenges faced by the sector reflect our commitment to ensuring its sustained vitality and effectiveness in serving the community.

It's indeed positive to observe documentaries that highlight the significance of shedding light on issues affecting the community. These platforms provide an opportunity for us to share our perspective on the profound crisis impacting English pharmacies. We firmly believe that engaging in such discussions is essential for fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and advocating for the necessary support and changes in the sector. Our commitment to delivering high-quality service remains steadfast, and we are dedicated to ongoing efforts to find solutions that mutually benefit pharmacies and the patients they serve.