The Pharmacist’s Podcast: Janet Morrison and the pharmacy contract negotiations

In the latest episode of The Pharmacist's Podcast, we’re joined by the chief executive of Community Pharmacy England (CPE), Janet Morrison, for an exclusive look behind the scenes of the pharmacy contract negotiations.

Sector funding is set to increase by £340 million under the new contract deal – announced on 29 May – which also includes NHS-funded independent prescribing and an expanded Pharmacy First service.

CPE said that the funding settlement was accepted on the condition of a shared programme of reform with the government and NHS England, and that committee members had been ‘very reluctant’ to accept the uplift.

In this episode, Ms Morrison unpacks what actually happened during negotiations, why the CPE committee was so reluctant to accept the deal, and what the ‘programme of reform’ will entail.

She explains what she is most proud of and most disappointed by in the new contract, as well as the many proposals CPE made that fell by the wayside during negotiations.

And the interview sheds light on the two-month delay in reaching an agreement which sector leaders described as ‘inexcusable’ given the financial pressures facing pharmacy – including the rise in business rates, increased wages, and inflationary costs.

The Pharmacist's Podcast is hosted on Buzzsprout but you can find it wherever you get your podcasts. Listen to the full episode here.

The Pharmacist's Podcast launched earlier this year and seeks to explore the latest developments in pharmacy through discussions with experts, policymakers, and frontline professionals to shed light on the stories shaping the profession.