April 9th 2024

By Ailsa Colquhoun

DDA launches rural election manifesto

The Dispensing Doctors’ Association has launched a Rural Practice Manifesto ahead of the 2024 General Election.

As the election campaign begins in earnest, creating a sustainable NHS will be a key election issue.

The DDA invites election candidates to work with the DDA to answer the following calls to action:

Rural Proofing

1. Medicines optimisation services: Rural patients to have equitable access to medicines services that support health and best use of medicines, irrespective of their proximity to access to a community pharmacy
2. Full funding for NHS IT: Full NHS funding to recognise the benefits to patients, the practice and the NHS of NHS IT services such as the Electronic Prescription Service
3. Local commissioning: Give local NHS organisations the freedom to commission services that rural people need

Sustainable Foundations

1. A fair GP contract that recognises the increased costs of service deliver in rural areas
2. A fair dispensary pay deal that rewards rural practices for meeting the increasing pharmaceutical needs of the rural ageing population
3. NHS clinicians in the driving seat of NHS policy

A range of resources have been created for DDA members:

Template patient letter

Template politician letter

Template letter to newsletter editor

Template practice website text

Read and/or download the full manifesto 

Read the 2024 election Chairman's briefing

Questions to ask your local politician
Why are dispensing regulations and the one-mile still relevant in the ‘digital world’? What plans do you have to bring this legislation into the 21^st Century?

Why are dispensing practices subject to taxation without representation? This refers to changes to their reimbursement actioned via the Drug Tariff that are made without their consultation.

Why does Government still fail to ‘rural-proof’ policies such as the development of medicines optimisation services in pharmacies which cannot be accessed by rural patients without ready or any access to a pharmacy?

Will you commit to look at GP funding so that rural practices are adequately funded for the increased cost of service in a rural area, as well as their older patient list demographic?

Will you commit to overseeing the development and funding of the Electronic Prescription Service so that rural patients and practices, and the NHS, can reap all benefits of this investment?  

Will you commit to visiting our practice to talk to the partners first-hand about the financial pressures facing practices such as ours?

Find your local politician’s contact details at the following links:

England: Contact your MP - UK Parliament

Wales: Find a Member of the Senedd

Scotland: Current and previous Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) | Scottish Parliament Website