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Pharmacy contractors should be more up front about the money they save the NHS and not be afraid to talk about making a profit, claims Numark managing director, John D'Arcy.

€It doesn't matter how professional and clinically focused you are, if you're not running a profitable business, you're not in the game,€ he told the Independent Pharmacy Federation's autumn conference in Birmingham.

€I want to talk about money. As a taxpayer, I want to know what's happening to our £112bn investment in the NHS,€ Mr D'Arcy said. Pharmacy has a clear role to play in balancing the books because community pharmacists, working as both clinicians and commercial operators, provide excellent value for money. This is something the sector should be shouting about.

Talking in the wake of the new funding settlement, Mr D'Arcy said the political rhetoric is still not being matched by action. The pharmacy contract is not conducive to a changed practice model and should be properly integrated into mainstream healthcare. €The contract needs to make sense alongside those for other primary care providers. Why not link the pharmacy and GP contracts?€ he said.