Liberal Democrats this weekend (September 15) voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of expanding “community-based care in non-institutional environments” like pharmacies.
At the party’s annual conference held in Brighton, NHS worker Stevan Ćirković proposed an amendment to the party’s “plan to save the NHS”.
Read more: Pharmacy closures will land people ‘in hospital’, Ed Davey warns
“Community-based care…should be expanded where appropriate – physical health checks in pharmacies as well as community mental health provision are important pillars of modern health services,” the amendment said.
The party told C+D today that the amendment was put forward by members and any further details still need to be ironed out.
But it stressed that the Lib Dem election manifesto set out plans to “work towards a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model for pharmacies” and expand pharmacist prescribing rights.
Read more: Liberal Democrat Layla Moran elected new health committee chair
Lib Dem deputy leader and health and social care spokesperson Daisy Cooper urged delegates to “support this motion and the amendment” and commit to “putting pressure on the new government to deliver the ambitious change our health and care services need”.
The conference chair found that delegates voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of the motion and the amendment.
“Number one issue”
Meanwhile, during a keynote speech yesterday (September 16), Cooper announced that health and social care will be the “top priority” for new Lib Dem MPs.
Having amassed a total of 72 Lib Dem MPs after the July general election, Cooper stressed that she “can't even go to the toilet without bumping into” a fellow party MP in parliament.
“Now we have 72, what are we going to do with them? – First and foremost, the top priority in parliament…is being champions for our local health and care services,” she told delegates.
Read more: Lib Dems pledge 'fairer' funding and ‘more pharmacist prescribing rights’
She added that “there's a very simple reason for that…it was the number one issue that came up on the doorstep”.
Cooper also delivered a stern threat to the new health secretary.
“Wes [Streeting], if you’re listening, take up our ideas or put forward your own and if we support them, we'll back them,” she said.
“But if we do not see the right level of ambition or urgency, we will hold your feet to the fire,” she added.
Read more: Lib Dem MP demands ‘urgent’ debate on ‘outdated’ pharmacy contract
Also on Sunday, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said that “there’s not enough being spent” on community pharmacy and warned that pharmacy closures will land people “in hospital”.
He told delegates that “upfront investment in primary care is absolutely critical to take the pressure off the ambulance services”, adding that “if you get primary care right, you make a big difference”.
And parliament last week announced that Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran will chair the new health and social care select committee.
