The National Pharmacy Association chief executive Paul Rees has cautiously welcomed health secretary Wes Streeting’s pledge today during Labour’s party conference to support preventative care in local communities by reminding him pharmacies are closing “at a record rate” because of poor funding.

Severely criticising the Conservatives over their handling of the NHS whilst in power, Streeting told Labour’s conference in Liverpool “the NHS is letting people down.”

Insisting Labour would end “two-tier healthcare” in the UK, Streeting promised “preventative care, precision medicine and personalised treatment will no longer be just for the few, but for the many.” However, his speech, published in full on Labour’s website, did not mention pharmacy once.

Rees (pictured) warned the government’s ambition of transforming the NHS largely hinged on whether it is willing to support community pharmacy with improved funding.

“It was good to hear the secretary of state's intention to transform the health service to focus on prevention as well as increased care in the community,” he said.

“He is right that if we are to transform outcomes for patients, we must urgently reform our NHS. Community pharmacies, who are the front door of the NHS, provide top class accessible care patients on their doorsteps.

“They are vital to the government's plans to transform primary care and take pressure away from our overstretched hospitals and GP surgeries.

“However, pharmacies are closing at a record rate due to the impact of 40 per cent real terms cuts in their budgets.”

Rees implored Labour to “reverse” the Conservatives’ cuts to community pharmacy which were announced in 2015.

He insisted reversing the cuts, something Jonathan Ashworth promised Labour would do if they got into power when he was shadow health secretary, would “help stabilise” the community pharmacy network.

“It will allow pharmacies to take on a new expanded role in delivering care for patients,” Rees said.