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Business secretary Peter Kyle attended the Sigma Pharmaceutical offices last week on a visit where he was advised of issues facing the medicines wholesale sector as well as the business rates challenge facing community pharmacies. 

The secretary of state for business and trade also promised to review options for reducing the regulatory burdens placed on pharmacy contractors, said Sigma.

Mr Kyle attended the wholesaler’s Watford headquarters last Thursday (April 16), with Sigma co-founder Bharat Shah and CEO Raj Haria showing him the company’s distribution systems.

Sigma said of the meeting: “The minister was made aware of complexities involved in manufacture and distribution of generic medicines and also the parallel import operation.

“He was also made aware of the tremendous contribution generics and parallel imports make towards savings for the NHS.”

Mr Kyle’s visit coincided with a visit from National Pharmacy Association chief executive Henry Gregg, who raised the issue of rising business rates.

Mr Gregg said of his meeting with the business secretary: “I pushed hard for pharmacies to be exempted from soaring business rates in the same way GPs and NHS dentists are last week when I met Business Secretary Peter Kyle at Sigma’s offices in Watford last week.

“If pubs get rates relief, why can't pharmacies?

“Peter took the time to listen carefully to my case and has promised to raise this with the Treasury.”

Sigma reported that Mr Kyle, who it described as “very responsive to issues in business,” also expressed his commitment to reducing the regulatory burden on pharmacies and the wholesale sector and requested further meetings with the NPA and Healthcare Distribution Association.