Inquiry into the contribution of community pharmacy to health services in Wales

The Committee’s original inquiry

The National Assembly for Wales’s Health and Social Care Committee undertook an inquiry on the contribution of community pharmacy to health services in May 2012.

The terms of reference for the inquiry were as follows:

To examine the effectiveness of the Community Pharmacy contract in enhancing the contribution of community pharmacy to health and wellbeing services, including:

• the extent to which Local Health Boards have taken up the opportunities presented by the contract to extend pharmacy services through the provision of ‘enhanced’ services, and examples of successful schemes;
• the scale and adequacy of ‘advanced’ services provided by community pharmacies;
• the scope for further provision of services by community pharmacies in addition to the dispensing of NHS medicines and appliances, including the potential for minor ailments schemes;
• the current and potential impact on demand for NHS services in primary and secondary care of an expansion of community pharmacy services, and any cost savings they may offer;
• progress on work currently underway to develop community pharmacy services.

The Committee held a public consultation to gather evidence on this topic

The Committee’s report

The Committee reported in May 2012. The Welsh Government responded in July 2012. The Plenary debate took place on 11 July 2012.

The Committee’s follow-up work

In spring 2014 the Committee agreed to undertake a targeted call for evidence from relevant stakeholders, including the Minister for Health and Social Services, on the progress made to date in implementing the Committee’s recommendations.

The Committee held an oral evidence session with the Minister for Health and Social Services on 24 September 2014.

The Committee published its letter to the Minister for Health and Social Services in November 2014. The letter identifies key areas in which the Committee believes further work is necessary. The Committee received a response to its letter in December 2014.