In what would be a major victory for the community pharmacy sector, it appears that the Department of Health has executed a U-turn on hub and spoke dispensing as a result of “issues” raised by the recent Government consultation.

In answer to a written question from Labour MP for Ealing North, Stephen Pound, pharmacy minister Alistair Burt gave this response:

“The consultation on changes to medicines legislation including on hub and spoke dispensing did not rely on any specific safety profile of hub and spoke dispensing. Instead, the consultation document specifically asked consultees to provide evidence on the issue.

“Nevertheless, the responses to the consultation have raised issues around removing the bar on hub and spoke dispensing between retail pharmacies that are not part of the same business that the Department would like to explore in more detail with stakeholders’ representatives before progressing any legislation. It does not now envisage changes to the legislation on this issue commencing on 1 October 2016.”

Update 16.00

The NPA welcomed the Government’s re-think on hub and spoke.

Chairman Ian Strachan said: “The Department of Health has listened to the growing chorus of concern in and around the pharmacy sector on this issue. The NPA has been at the forefront of the independent sector’s response and our detailed work on the issue has been key to achieving a unified position across the sector. So we are naturally delighted that the Department is going back to the drawing board, which has been our request from the outset.”

It is to the credit of ministers and officials that they have shifted the position in response to overwhelming evidence and reasoned arguments, he said. “We now hope that they will show the same degree of mature reflection in relation to other elements of their proposals.”

Update June 8

Pharmacy Voice chief executive Rob Darracott also welcomed the news. “In our response to the consultation we highlighted a number of significant concerns about the proposals that our members – representing all parts of the community pharmacy sector – feel remain unresolved. No one is against attempts to create a level playing in the options available to pharmacy businesses, but we do not believe these proposals would achieve this at the current time.”

Issues still to be resolved ranged from the implications for professional liability and regulation and for data sharing and consent, to the operational practicalities for businesses and the economic assumptions being made, he said.

“We look forward to further discussions with the Department over the coming weeks and hope they will take this opportunity to listen and engage with sector in a meaningful way.”