They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. No wonder the profession is less than enamoured with new pharmacy minister David Mowat.

He started by snubbing the RPS by not attending its annual conference in person, choosing instead to send a pre-recorded video message, in which he announced the delay of the pharmacy funding cuts.

He did turn up to the launch of PSNC’s PricewaterhouseCoopers report on the value of community pharmacy, but left just as a senior PSNC official got up to speak. Maybe he knew his officials were about to send out a letter outlining plans to revisit the Government’s controversial reforms with a decision on funding expected as soon as mid-October. So much for taking time “to make the correct decision” and “maintaining an ongoing dialogue with pharmacists”.

We shouldn’t be remotely surprised. Mowat may be “determined to support the sector as it modernises, making sure that we make the most of pharmacists’ skills as a vital frontline service”. But he has also made it very clear that community pharmacy must play its part in helping the NHS to find £22bn in efficiency savings.

In many ways, with the petition and especially the PwC report and Community Pharmacy Forward View, the sector is in a stronger position than it was just a few short months ago. This will come to nought if the Government refuses to engage in a meaningful dialogue about the way forward and insists on sticking to a completely unrealistic timeline for negotiations and implementation. What a wasted opportunity – and kick in the teeth – that would be.