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Pharmacy

Asked by Gideon AmosLiberal DemocratDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 29 June 2026UIN 6539

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of commissioning a national review of governance arrangements for changes to NHS pharmaceutical lists.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock

Under Part 9, regulation 67 of the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013, pharmacy owners must give notice before permanently closing premises. Contractors providing at least 40 core opening hours a week must give a minimum of three months’ notice. Boots pharmacy at Wellington Medical Centre complied with this requirement by notifying the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board of its intended closure. On the date set out in that notice, the pharmacy may close and the premises are removed from the National Health Service pharmaceutical list. The Department keeps these processes under review and regularly engages with Community Pharmacy England and other relevant bodies on any changes that may be needed.

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