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Health minister Zubir Ahmed has faced intense questioning in the House of Commons over what opposition MPs described as the NHS Business Services Authority’s failure to pay contractors for Pharmacy First consultations. 

Raising an urgent question in the House of Commons yesterday around the challenges posed by the new Pharmacy First claiming window introduced last year, Luke Evans, the Conservative MP for Hinckley and Bosworth and a practising GP, quoted the National Pharmacy Association’s concerns that despite consultations having been delivered money is being withheld “on a technicality”. 

“What makes that worse is that many pharmacies do not even realise that some of the money is missing,” Mr Evans said, who grilled the  health innovation minister on whether he retains confidence in the NHSBSA and if he plans to commission a performance review of the organisation following “repeated concerns” such as “serious delays in NHS pension processing”. 

“Community pharmacies are already under intense pressure from this Government, with tax rises on employment and business rates and with increases in costs, and now they appear not to be being paid for work already done,” he said as he demanded to know the total value of withheld payments and how many pharmacies are affected.  

Mr Evans also recently submitted a series of written questions on this issue, and yesterday received a response from pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock who stated: “The Department does not hold data on the number of Pharmacy First claims which were not submitted in accordance with the Drug Tariff.”

Responding to Mr Evans’ comments in parliament, Mr Ahmed replied: “We are in discussions with Community Pharmacy England to consider where improvements to the claiming process can be made, address concerns raised by contractors and aim for a more consistent approach to remuneration. 

“We will also consult with CPE shortly on the contractual framework for next year.” 

Mr Ahmed said CPE is in a position to put forward suggested changes to the Pharmacy First payment schedule as a “priority issue” in upcoming funding talks and “we will take that on board”. 

He added: “There are of course always extenuating circumstances, such as IT not working.

“Officials have reassured me that following discussions with CPE, we have introduced specific provisions in the Drug Tariff that will allow pharmacy contractors to receive payment for claims that were delayed due to IT issues outside of its control.” 

Related: NHSBSA stonewalling us over £1,600 in lost Pharmacy First earnings, says Swindon contractor