To ask the Minister of Health for his plans to address the funding shortfall faced by community pharmacies.

I very much appreciate the extremely important work that community pharmacies deliver for our population.

I have received representation from pharmacy contractors and from their representative body, Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI).

An urgent meeting was held this week to with representatives of CPNI to consider the funding issues. I have asked my Department to address some of the pressures that pharmacies are facing within what is available and affordable. I encouraged CPNI to continue to work with Department officials to seek ways to ensure the pharmacy service can develop in line with our shared strategic objectives.