In a passionate speech outlining the contribution of community pharmacy to the NHS, National Pharmacy Association chairman Ian Strachan warned ministers.

“We don’t know what we’ve got until it’s gone,” he said. “A poorly planned centralised dispensing or hub-and-spoke system could threaten independent pharmacy”, adding that face-to-face consultation with patients in community pharmacies, particularly elderly patients, “matters”. The important contribution of community pharmacy day to day may not always be fully recognised, Mr Strachan suggested.

“What we see as routine, we tend not to celebrate.” Independents must be “confident, bold and brave” about what more can be achieved through pharmacy: “We need to reach out and liberate the potential of community pharmacy.”

Pharmacy minister Alistair Burt was due to address guests at the NPA triennial dinner in London in November, but was unable to attend.