UK Parliament
Health minister Diana Johnson has agreed to meet with MPs to discuss a series of amendments that would give integrated care boards (ICBs) emergency powers over failing pharmacy providers.
The comments were made in a Westminster Hall debate about pharmacy funding on 9 September 2026, which follows a debate on the Health Bill in the House of Commons on 7 September 2026 where the amendments were not put to a vote.
The issue was prompted by the recent collapse of Jhoots Pharmacy, which Edward Morello, Liberal Democrat MP for West Dorset, told the House of Commons that it “showed us the limits of the current regulatory framework, which was largely designed around independent pharmacies, not large companies controlling extensive pharmacy networks”.
Amendment 55 to Clause 42 of the Health Bill would have allowed the secretary of state to direct an ICB to act where a pharmacy provider “has materially failed to comply with contractual, patient-safety or workforce obligations”.
That direction could have required the ICB to suspend or terminate arrangements with the provider, make arrangements with another provider, secure continuity of medicines supply or take other emergency measures.
Morello said the amendment would give powers to intervene where there is a serious risk to patient safety or medicine supply, “something we did not have to tackle the Jhoots crisis”.
Amendment 56 to Schedule 1 of the Health Bill would have inserted a new section giving ICBs powers to require the provider to take specified remedial action, suspend or terminate arrangements or make arrangements with another provider.
In addition, Amendment 58, also to Clause 42 of the Health Bill, would have required the secretary of state and the relevant ICB to provide assistance and support to enable a new provider to establish or continue services following a closure, failure or disruption, including by facilitating relationships with manufacturers and suppliers.
The support would apply in particular where a new provider was taking over premises where there had been “evidence of serious misconduct, including malpractice or failure to pay staff”.
The new Clause 74 of the Health Bill would require the secretary of state to establish arrangements to protect the pay and essential employment protections of staff where a provider becomes insolvent, ceases to provide pharmaceutical services, had its arrangements suspended or terminated or is otherwise unable to meet its obligations to employees.
It would allow the secretary of state to make payments to affected staff and to recover those sums from the failed provider.
Amendments 57 to Schedule 1 of the Health Bill would require pharmacy remuneration to reflect the costs of serving rural and sparsely populated areas, while Amendment 59 to Clause 47 would apply a similar test to ICB funding allocations for health services in rural and sparsely populated areas.
All were tabled by Morello and listed as ‘not called’. A UK Parliament press office spokesperson confirmed to The Pharmaceutical Journal on 9 September 2026 that the new Clause 74 of the Health Bill was selected for debate but, in common with the majority of amendments, was not called, meaning members were able to speak to it but it was not selected for a separate vote at the end.
However, on 9 September 2026, Morello asked health minister Diana Johnson whether she would ask ministers to consider his amendments to the Health Bill and whether the government would support them when the Bill progresses to the next stage in the House of Lords.
Johnson replied: “I am very happy to have a look at the amendments tabled by the hon. Gentleman and to meet him and my hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset. I cannot promise anything else, but I am happy to have a look.”
On 7 September 2026, Morello told the House of Commons that his urgent question on Jhoots had produced “cross-party support for legislative action, which has not come from the government” and said the amendments were “exactly the powers that the minister told me they needed a year ago in order to act”.
“I hope the government will listen,” he added.
