£800m boost for local pharmacies as Labour pledges to bring care back to the community

Community pharmacies in Exeter are set to benefit from an £800 million funding boost as the Labour government rolls out its NHS reform package – with more frontline services and easier access to care promised across the city.

The investment, confirmed this week as part of Labour’s Plan for Change, marks the first full-year funding deal for community pharmacies since 2023, and the first uplift since 2016.

The money is intended to help shift NHS care away from overstretched hospitals and back into the community – making high street pharmacies more central to everyday healthcare.

Under the reforms, patients will soon be able to access free NHS morning-after pills at pharmacies, mental health support when starting antidepressants, and more consultations without the usual paperwork. Pharmacy teams will also see funding rises for medicine supply, helping ensure better availability of prescriptions.

Steve Race, MP for Exeter and former community pharmacy worker, has championed the announcement. “Millions of people use community pharmacies every day,” he said. “Over recent years they’ve been asked to do more, but without the funding to match – and that’s meant closures here in Exeter. I’m delighted that this Labour government is injecting £800m to help pharmacies continue their vital work.”

Race also chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy and described the reforms as key to building a more prevention-focused NHS.

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock echoed the sentiment, saying: “Community pharmacists are at the heart of local healthcare. This investment is a vital first step to getting community pharmacies back on their feet and fit for the future.”

The government says the reforms will reduce pressure on GP surgeries and A&E departments, while helping to cut waiting lists and prevent ill-health before it begins.