Is community pharmacy representation in need of an overhaul?

David Wright, Professor of Pharmacy Practice from the School of Pharmacy at the University of East Anglia has lead an independent review of the roles and structures underpinning Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and the Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) in England.

The review has been called at a time when the community pharmacy landscape is rapidly changing and local representation and support has never been more important. The purpose of the review was to result in recommendations which will optimise PSNC and LPC contractor representation and support and ensure that the national network structure is working as efficiently for contractors as it can and is fit for the future.

The review team has made 33 recommendations, including the introduction of an independent governance and strategy oversight committee, replacement of the PSNC with a council constituted with LPC chairs and significantly increased funding for national negotiation activities.

You can read the full report here.

This report goes much further than many people expected and as such we were very pleased to discuss the findings with Professor Wright on the PIP podcast.