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Community pharmacy leaders have called for investment in the sector after it was excluded from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)’s ten-year capital plan, published on 8 July 2026.
In the plan, GP surgeries were confirmed to receive a further £200m investment in premises during this Parliament, on top of the £102m Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund investment they received in 2025/2026.
However, Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said: “It makes no sense whatsoever to limit capital investment to one part of primary care” given that “GPs, exactly like pharmacies, are independent contractors working for the NHS.
“Creating additional capacity for appointments is a positive step, but yet again the government is missing a huge trick by failing to invest in pharmacies,” he added.
“They already offer local healthcare on every high street but could do so much more if ministers only had the vision to see their potential and invest in the future … there are thousands of pharmacies that could quickly expand local health services where people need them.”
Also in response to the plan, the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) reiterated calls for pharmacies to receive the same business rates support as GP surgeries.
GP and dental surgeries can claim reimbursement of business rates — up to 100% of the payment if NHS income makes up more than 90% of the practice’s gross income — but pharmacies do not have an equal provision.
Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the IPA, said: “We welcome the government’s commitment to investing in primary care and bringing more healthcare closer to people’s homes. But community pharmacies, which sit at the heart of communities across the country, cannot continue to be overlooked.
“Pharmacies are being asked to do more than ever to take pressure off GPs and hospitals, yet the sector continues to be chronically underfunded, and pharmacies are being forced to subsidise the NHS from their own pockets.
She added: “If the government is serious about shifting more care into communities, it needs to back the pharmacies already delivering care on high streets across the country. Pharmacies are NHS healthcare providers, just like GPs, and should be treated fairly. It is time to end this inequality and give community pharmacies the same support on business rates.”
The ten-year capital plan said the primary care estate was “a vital enabler” of its desired “left shift” from hospital to community.
“However, our primary and community care infrastructure is not currently well equipped to accommodate this shift,” it added.
“Half of GPs regard their own practice as not fit for purpose and nearly a quarter of buildings pre-date the foundation of the NHS itself. Many of these are in converted residential properties without the space or facilities to house multidisciplinary teams providing integrated care.”
Gregg commented: “Investment in pharmacies benefits the whole health system and millions of patients.
“We’ve been saying this for years, which is why we want fundamental reform in order to reimage local health services to benefit millions of people. We’re pleased that the government’s ten-year plan for the NHS appears to agree with that vision, but we’re disappointed that the government’s approach to capital investment doesn’t follow suit.”
The capital plan also highlighted development of neighbourhood health centre proposals by integrated care boards, “based on their deep understanding of population need and local infrastructure requirements”.
The DHSC said it had also committed to “support and enable NHS trusts to provide key worker accommodation for NHS staff”, in order to improve recruitment and retention in areas where housing costs are high.
“We will work with a selection of pilot trusts to explore a concessionary financial route to delivering investor-led keyworker housing on NHS land, with a view to scaling it nationally with supporting guidance and frameworks following a successful trial,” it said.
