21 Oct 2026
MPs are asked to join Dispensing Doctors’ Association (DDA) Board members at a drop in meeting to discuss rural dispensing NHS GP practices.
The meeting takes place on Wednesday 4 November between 1.45pm and 3.00pm.
MPs have been told about the importance of NHS dispensing GP practices against the backdrop of an ageing rural population, and the challenges to sustainability caused by inadequate funding for the dispensing service.
The meeting will discuss how dispensing practices are expected to deliver increasingly complex medical and medicines supply services to a growing and ageing population, but without the appropriate support, specifically:
- The remuneration model for NHS dispensing GP practices has remained largely unchanged since 2013, despite significant increases in staffing, regulatory, estates, IT and medicines management costs.
- Workforce pressures continue to grow, with recruitment and retention becoming more challenging as operating costs increase. In some cases, practices dispense NHS medicines at a financial loss.
- Modern healthcare delivery requires ongoing investment in digital infrastructure and service improvements, with many practices funding these developments from their existing resources.
The DDA will say: Without greater recognition of these wider pressures, NHS dispensing GP practices may face growing challenges to their long-term sustainability in rural communities, where patients often have limited alternatives for accessing medicines and healthcare services. Maintaining resilient local dispensing services is particularly important for older and more vulnerable patients, helping to ensure they can continue to access care close to home.
MPs interested in attending are asked to email office@dispensingdoctor.org
