Ann Clwyd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of pharmacy services in central London outside working hours.

George Freeman

NHS England is responsible for commissioning NHS services from community pharmacies taking account of the local pharmaceutical needs assessment that is published by the Health and Wellbeing Board for each area. The pharmaceutical needs assessments reflect all NHS pharmaceutical services including hours of opening. 99% of the population can get to a pharmacy within 20 minutes by car and 96% by walking or using public transport and access is greater in areas of highest deprivation Across London there are 1,851 community pharmacies. Of these, 255 are open 70 hours or more, including 103 open for 100 hours a week. In Westminster alone there are six 100 hour pharmacies.