Debate contribution: Community Pharmacies
Debate contribution by Mr Mike Nesbitt on .
- MLA
- Mr Mike Nesbitt
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 1 October 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Community Pharmacies
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4562826
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for his question. I believe — the evidence supports this — that Northern Ireland is well provided for in respect of access to community pharmacy services. As of 31 March 2024, there were 511 community pharmacies in Northern Ireland, which was a reduction of 14 — 2·7% — compared with the 12 months previously. I should, however, note that two pharmacies have closed since then, so, as of 1 September 2024, we are at 509 on the pharmaceutical list. We do not always know the reason that pharmacies close, as contractors do not have to give the strategic planning and performance group (SPPG) a reason for closing, but we are aware that some of the branch closures of Boots UK were a result of a consolidation exercise by Boots in Northern Ireland. The number of community pharmacies per head of population in Northern Ireland is 30% higher than in England, 16% higher than in Scotland and the same in Wales, so, yes, there remains good access to community pharmacies across Northern Ireland. Some 99% of the population live within 5 miles of a community pharmacy. After adjusting for the higher rate of prescribing in Northern Ireland, it still results in a higher rate of provision compared with that in the rest of the UK, with 6% more pharmacies per item dispensed than in England.
228 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.77).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.77 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 1.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:22 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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