MPs Visit Tees Valley Pharmacies to Receive Flu Jabs and Hear from the Sector

Community Pharmacy Tees Valley LPC recently welcomed a number of local Members of Parliament into community pharmacies across the area, providing a valuable opportunity to showcase the vital role of the sector while highlighting the significant challenges currently facing contractors.

Tees Valley MP Anna Turley, MP Luke Myers, MP Matt Vickers and MP Chris McDonald each visited local pharmacies to receive their flu vaccinations. These visits formed part of a wider engagement initiative to demonstrate the accessibility, clinical capability and public health value of community pharmacy, particularly in delivering vaccination services at scale.

During the visits, MPs met directly with pharmacy contractors and LPC committee members, who spoke candidly about the ongoing pressures on the sector. Discussions focused on workload intensity, workforce shortages, funding constraints, increasing service expectations, and the growing gap between demand and available resources. Contractors also highlighted the critical importance of sustainable funding and long-term policy support if community pharmacies are to continue meeting the needs of patients and the NHS.

The LPC would like to thank all contractors who hosted visits and contributed to these conversations. Direct engagement with MPs is a key part of ensuring that the realities of frontline pharmacy are understood at both a local and national level. These visits help reinforce the message that community pharmacy is an essential, yet increasingly stretched, component of the healthcare system.

Community Pharmacy Tees Valley LPC will continue to support and coordinate opportunities to engage with local and national stakeholders, ensuring the voice of contractors remains central to future discussions on the direction and sustainability of the sector.