To ask the Minister of Health to detail any steps he has taken to remove the pay discrepancy between pharmacists employed by Health and Social Care Trusts and pharmacists employed by GP Federations, in the current financial year.

In relation to pay equality for GP Federation Pharmacists, my Department only has a negotiating mandate to agree terms and conditions, including pay, for all staff employed by an HSC Body, and as contained in Annex 1 of NHS Handbook. In doing so, I may enter negotiations with recognised local Trade Unions, on behalf of those staff.

My Department does not set the terms and conditions, nor the pay, of individuals employed outside of the defined bodies and an individual employed by non-HSC bodies such as a GP Federation should approach their own employer for clarity on this matter.

My Department provided uplifts for staff costs for 25/26 to GP Federations in respect of GP Pharmacists on the basis of the pay award agreed by the Doctors Dentists Review Body (DDRB). With regards to the 2026/27 year, my Department again intend to provide uplift based upon DDRB agreement.

I would like to assure you that I continue to work with Federation representatives to consider how we might cooperate to deliver an acceleration of prescribing savings through adherence to best practice and cost-effective prescribing guidance which could be linked to additional investment into the GPP service or other multi-disciplinary support to primary care.