A Liberal Democrat MP will serve as the next chair of the health and social care committee (HSCC), a spokesperson for parliament’s select committees yesterday (July 31) revealed.

The party allocation of select committee chairs was agreed to by the House of Commons this week (July 30), according to parliament’s website. 

And the speaker of the house Sir Lindsay Hoyle has also set out the timetable for the election of committee chairs, the spokesperson said.

Read more: Lib Dems pledge 'fairer' funding and ‘more pharmacist prescribing rights’

Nominations for the position will run until 4pm on September 9, with the ballot scheduled for September 11, they added. 

Each nominee must provide a signed statement of their “willingness to stand”, as well as the signature of seven fellow Lib Dem MPs to support their candidacy or “up to five MPs” from any other party, they said.

The MP that will ultimately be elected as HSCC chair will replace former Conservative MP and former pharmacy minister Steve Brine, who did not stand for re-election in the July 4 general election.

Read more: Political Pills: What awaits the new pharmacy minister?

Community pharmacy took a leading role in the Lib Dem election manifesto as it pledged to "[free] up GPs’ time by giving more prescribing rights and public health advisory services to qualified pharmacists, nurse practitioners and paramedics".

The political party also said that it would prioritise securing “a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model for pharmacies” and “build on the Pharmacy First approach to give patients more accessible routine services”.