Member

The collapse of Jhoots Pharmacy showed us the limits of the current regulatory framework, which was largely designed around independent pharmacies, not large companies controlling extensive pharmacy networks. During my urgent question on Jhoots, there was cross-party support for legislative action, which has not come from the Government. Amendment 55 would give the Secretary of State powers to require an ICB to intervene where there is a serious risk to patient safety or medicine supply—something we did not have to tackle the Jhoots crisis. Amendment 56 would give the ICBs their own stronger powers to require remedial action, suspend arrangements or secure an alternative provider, acting immediately where patient safety is at risk. These are exactly the powers that the Minister told me they needed a year ago in order to act, but the Government have not accepted these amendments.