Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) service delivery and (b) patient care standards are maintained in community pharmacies following the dissolution of NHS England.

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the NHS, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.

All services delivered within a community pharmacy are delivered under the supervision of a pharmacist who are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the independent regulator of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and registered pharmacy premises in Great Britain, and will remain unaffected by any changes to NHS England. GPhC sets standards for the education and training of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy support staff, inspects pharmacies to ensure standards are met and acts if there are concerns about a registered pharmacy or pharmacy professional.