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Cancer patients urged to consult with pharmacists before taking weight loss drugs ... products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) this month issued a warning to women using weight-loss jabs around the unknown risks of harm during pregnancy and said women should use ‘effective contraception’ while using the injections. Dr Owen Carter, national clinical adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: ‘Recently we have seen a noticeable increase in calls to Macmillan’s free support line and a flurry of messag ... Date: 20-06-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News
Interview: New NPA vice chair on achieving ‘advocacy and a real voice’ for pharmacy ... Ms Basra’s pharmacy offers several clinical services, including Pharmacy First, hypertension and contraception services. But she says ‘the biggest barrier’ was ‘lack of awareness’ among patients. ‘There isn't an awareness out there around what pharmacists do,’ she explained. ‘We have to be our own advocates. We have to sort of donate that information when a patient comes in.’ Prescribing With ch ... Date: 20-06-2025 Categories: • Community • Interviews • Pharmacy First
Weight loss jabs and the role of community pharmacy ... ews-worthy mentions are of a riskier tone, with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warning women taking GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes to use effective contraception, saying ‘there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby’. This warning has, again, thrown the spotlight onto the supply – both legitimate and authorised ... Date: 19-06-2025 Categories: • Analysis • Analysis • Clinical • Community • In Practice
Views sought on pharmacy contract changes and financial security ... ttlement is having across the sector, and to demonstrate this to ministers and officials. It wants to hear opinions on latest pharmacy service developments, including the introduction of emergency contraception, changes to enable better use of skill mix and a new route to rearrange core opening hours. Pharmacy owners will also be asked about ‘the current financial situation’ facing their pharmacy busines ... Date: 09-06-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Women on weight-loss jabs must use ‘effective contraception’, urges MHRA Women using weight-loss jabs should use ‘effective contraception’ while taking them, according to latest guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The regulator has today issued a warning to women using the injections around th ... Date: 05-06-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • News • Nutrition and gastroenterology
Pharmacy First bundle ‘hurdles’ risk pharmacies stopping service altogether, warns CCA ... ve insurmountable for many pharmacies. As of yesterday (1 June), the Pharmacy First ‘bundling requirements’ came into force, meaning pharmacies must be registered to deliver the Pharmacy Contraception Service, Hypertension Case Finding Service and Pharmacy First – in addition to delivering the minimum number of clinical pathway Pharmacy First consultations – to receive a fixed monthly payment. And from O ... Date: 02-06-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Pharmacy First claim window changes this weekend ... ntractor, and it delayed the claim submission. To be eligible for monthly payments from June, contractors must be registered and able to deliver the Hypertension Case Finding Service, Pharmacy Contraception Service and Pharmacy First service in addition to the minimum activity requirement for delivering the clinical pathways. Contractors must register on the MYS portal for all three services by 11.59pm o ... Date: 30-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Fresh calls for Pharmacy First expansion as consultations surpass five million ... acy contract agreed between CPE and the government, £215m will be available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services. Head of policy at the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) Dr Nick Thayer said: ‘Pharmacies offer an additional access route for patients seeking urgent care. With their convenient high street locations and extended opening hours across evening ... Date: 29-05-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News • Pharmacy First
Avoid charges by submitting prescription bundles on time, urges CPE ... vidence and the form no later than one month after the month the fee was applied. Contractors have also been reminded this week that they must register to deliver the Pharmacy Contraception Service, Hypertension Case Finding Service and Pharmacy First before Sunday 1 June to ensure they are entitled to a monthly fixed payment. Date: 29-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News
Deadline for Pharmacy First, contraception and hypertension ‘bundle’ this week Pharmacy owners must register to deliver the Pharmacy Contraception Service, Hypertension Case Finding Service and Pharmacy First before Sunday 1 June to ensure they are entitled to a monthly fixed payment. From 1 June, the Pharmacy First ‘bundling requirements’ c ... Date: 27-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Pharmacies ‘stand ready’ to support new gonorrhoea jab programme ... pharmacies could 'support the successful rollout of this vaccine programme', with a track record of providing vaccinations, sexual health advice and support and contraception. This week new YouGov polling data suggested community pharmacies were the most accessible healthcare location for the public last winter, ahead of GP practices, dentists and hospital services. NHS England’s national director for pr ... Date: 21-05-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Sexual health • Vaccinations and infections
Two-thirds of women pay for the morning-after pill themselves, suggests survey Almost two-thirds (64%) of women say they shoulder the cost for emergency contraception, a survey by Well Pharmacy Online Doctor has revealed. Despite this, 65% of the 1,000 UK adults surveyed said they thought the cost of emergency contraception should be split between partners. ... Date: 20-05-2025 Categories: • Community • Pharmacy First • Women's health
Delivering NHS pharmacy services 'could pay for a new staff member' ... nerated by the pharmacy completing each week: Five new medicines service (NMS) consultations, generating £140 in total Five Pharmacy First consultations, generating £85 in total Three contraception consultations, generating £75 in total Five blood pressure checks, generating £50 in total And two ambulatory blood pressure monitoring services (ABPM), generating £101.70 Ms Shah also urged cont ... Date: 15-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Full Pharmacy First budget will be spent this time, says CPE ... the patient safety element of the scheme, bringing community pharmacy in line with most other healthcare providers and with most locally commissioned emergency hormonal contraception services. New medicines service Mr Buxton noted the split fee for the new medicines service (NMS), which he said had been introduced to incentivise follow-up appointments. Previously, only around half of patients who received ... Date: 12-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Interview: Former negotiator reflects on England's new pharmacy contract ... includes increasing the medicines margin to £900m and the single activity fee (SAF) by 19p. A further £215m will be available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services, while a national emergency hormonal contraception service has been commissioned. The new pharmacy contract equates to an average of around £65,200 additional income per pharmacy in England ... Date: 15-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News
What could Kinnock's vision for pharmacy 'reform' look like? ... t brings 'small but important changes' Janet Morrison, chief executive of Community Pharmacy England, said the contract included 'crucial commitments' from the government, including expanded contraception clinical services, a pledge to review margin distribution, and 'a much larger commitment to work with us towards a sustainable funding and operational model for community pharmacy'. And she said the negot ... Date: 11-04-2025 Categories: • Analysis • Community • News
Almost £300m of pharmacy investment 'absorbed by NHS for other purposes' ... 45m announced in May 2023, an estimated £349m has been spent on: Pharmacy First set-up payments, monthly payments and service fees the hypertension case-finding service the pharmacy contraception service development of IT changes for the three services NHS marketing for Pharmacy First writing off a £112m 'overpayment' This was spent over two years: £204m in 2023/24 and £145m in 2024/25 ... Date: 08-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Welsh pharmacies to get £6m ‘stability payment’ ... harmacy sector in England will get £3.073bn for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF), and can earn an additional £215m through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services. The CPCF uplift included a 19p increase in the single activity fee (SAF), effective from April 2025. Have your say on community pharmacy funding in England Are you a community pharmacy contractor based in En ... Date: 04-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News
NPA pausing action recommendation while considering funding deal ... pharmacy contract was announced that included: An uplift to £3.073bn for the 2025/26 global sum A further £215m available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services An increased medicines margin for 2025/26 to £900m Some £193m of historic ‘over-payment’ written off Services delivered during 2024/25 paid at previous contractual rates, including £1 ... Date: 01-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News
IPA questions CPE’s decision to accept ‘inadequate’ pharmacy contract ... Pharmacy Contractual Framework, in a new deal for the sector for 2025/26. Under the deal, a further £215m will be available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services, while a national emergency hormonal contraception service has also been commissioned. But the IPA warned the deal had failed to provide an 'immediate cash injection vitally needed to help stru ... Date: 01-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News
New 'variable payment' for Pharmacy First thresholds ... nable the variable payment, the claim window for these consultations will be reduced to one month from June, the government has said as part of the new contract. Blood pressure, Pharmacy First and contraception 'bundle' To be eligible for monthly payments from June, contractors must be registered and able to deliver the Hypertension Case Finding Service, Pharmacy Contraception Service and Pharmacy First serv ... Date: 01-04-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Dermatology and wound care • News • Paediatrics • Pharmacy First • Vaccinations and infections
Government to introduce hub-to-spoke dispensing across legal entities this year ... es margin increased to £900 million and the single activity fee (SAF) increased by 19p; An additional £215 million for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services; Some £193 million of historic ‘over-payment' written off. Date: 31-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News
National emergency contraception service 'good news' for both patients and pharmacies A new national emergency hormonal contraception (morning-after-pill) service will be commissioned from community pharmacies in England from October. This will standardise the service for both patients and pharmacies, Community Pharmacy England' ... Date: 31-03-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • News • Sexual health • Women's health
Community pharmacies get £3bn deal for 2025/26 ... on Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework, in a new deal for the sector for 2025/26. A further £215 million will be available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services, while a national emergency hormonal contraception service has been commissioned. The medicines margin for 2025/26 has been increased to £900 million and the single activity fee (SAF) has b ... Date: 31-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Pharmacies using Pharmacy Services can now access patient records ... testing phase with the functionality. It follows the roll out of Update Record which allows registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to add updates from Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception consultations to patient records. Leanne Hackett, product director for Cegedim Rx, said the company was 'delighted' to be 'the first community pharmacy IT supplier to switch on functionality for a ... Date: 27-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
'I'm reluctant, but I have to cut costs': The contractors supporting NPA action ... al services, Kevin says the funding for these services doesn’t and shouldn’t cover core business costs. ‘We can't sustain our businesses on Pharmacy First, emergency contraception and supervised substance misuse. Those are additional services – the core business is dispensing 10,000 prescriptions a month, and that does not sustain my business. And any amount of extra work that that I'm given doesn't allevia ... Date: 18-03-2025 Categories: • Community • Interviews • News
NPA tells pharmacies to reduce hours as April looms with no contract yet ... g unfunded free home deliveries of medicines; withdrawing from locally commissioned services, including some local addiction support services, emergency contraception and stop smoking support; refusing to co-operate with certain data requests above those required for patient safety and contractual minimums. 'People are borrowing money, re-mortgaging houses' But he said he believed ‘the human being si ... Date: 18-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News
Heart attack and stroke risk higher with certain hormonal contraceptives ... taining products, in particular the vaginal ring and skin patch. But no increased risk was found for the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device. While an association between hormonal contraception and heart attacks and strokes has been reported before the studies are outdated and have produced inconsistent results, they noted. There had also been a lack of detail on the different types of contra ... Date: 04-03-2025 Categories: • Clinical • News • Sexual health • Women's health
Pharmacists to have greater patient record access under new GP contract ... a new deal announced today has stipulated. The GP Connect Update Record functionality allows registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to add updates from Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception consultations to patient records. And Access Record will enable pharmacy systems to access patient records as needed for patient care. In October, NHSE confirmed that Access Record was being pi ... Date: 28-02-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Pharmacy2U launches combined pharmacy, GP, NHS, vet and wellness services platform ... tions – free fully tracked delivery of NHS prescriptions Carer’s Accounts – to manage prescriptions on behalf of others NHS Services – including Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service Online Doctor – consultations for 17 conditions including sexual health, weight loss and skin problems Pet Health – vet medication and pet products Health & Wellness Shop – with 4,000+ products a ... Date: 25-02-2025 Categories: • Community • News
Valproate in men: review by two specialists not needed for continuation ... he Commission on Human Medicine (CHM) has advised. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) previously advised that men taking valproate and their partners should use effective contraception, as a precaution against potential teratogenic risks. And it has now released three infographics outlining risk minimisation measures required for valproate prescribing, which clarify in which sit ... Date: 21-02-2025 Categories: • Clinical • In Practice • Men's health • Neurology • Sexual health • Women's health
Welsh common ailments service saw more than 400,000 patients last year ... dispensary, we are now in the consultation room for the most part of the day, offering clinical services. On average we undertake more than 20 consultations every day, ranging from providing contraception to emergency medicine supplies,' she said. 'The demand for advice on common conditions in the community is great, providing pharmacists with an opportunity to share advice and treatment with their patient ... Date: 22-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News
Working with community pharmacy as primary care engagement lead ... community pharmacies for eligible patients, in alignment with the Primary Care Access Recovery Plan (PCARP) services. These services include Hypertension Case-Finding, Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service. Enhancing patient referrals for PCARP services will not only improve access to care within general practices but also promote more efficient utilisation of resources. Furthermore, it will ... Date: 09-01-2025 Categories: • Cardiovascular • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Interviews • Interviews
NHS England data claims 87% of pharmacies ‘actively delivering’ Pharmacy First ... ractice, NHS England has claimed. NHS England’s new Pharmacy First data also showed that 92% of pharmacies are signed up to provide the blood pressure check service and 77% to the pharmacy contraception service. Around 7,300 pharmacies (69%) are signed up to all three services (Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception). GPs attending the NHS England webinar asked for clarification on how many ... Date: 23-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News • Pharmacy First
Disappointment over health 'milestone' as sector says pharmacies can help move care to the community ... for a local healthy living and prevention support service, particularly focused in areas of deprivation. And recommendations were made by several respondents for a national Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) service, a national smoking cessation service, and a greater role for community pharmacies in vaccinations and screening. In particular, services that made use of pharmacists' prescribing skills ... Date: 06-12-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
NHS silos 'holding back access' to PrEP in pharmacies ... l pharmacy'. And it said that the plan 'should diversify the places where people can have a conversation about their HIV risk and be given PrEP, for example antenatal care, women’s health hubs, contraception services, and prisons, among others'. It added: 'Pharmacies must be able to dispense the PrEP that is prescribed by these services. 'These avenues provide a rare opportunity to address PrEP awaren ... Date: 04-12-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • News • Sexual health
Pharmacy owners vote overwhelmingly in favour of collective action ... ng medicines to patients' homes for free if the service is not funded. 96.1% voted to withdraw from locally commissioned services, including some local addiction support services, emergency contraception and stop smoking support. 99.2% voted to refuse to co-operate with certain data requests above those required for patient safety and contractual minimums. 96.8% voted to withdraw from supplying free m ... Date: 14-11-2024 Categories: • Community • News
Pharmacies piloting access to GP records ... ctured format, where they can be added automatically or with 'one-click' to the patient's GP record. The GP Connect functionalities have been developed for use with Pharmacy First, the Pharmacy Contraception Service and the pharmacy blood pressure service. 'Extensive amount of assurance' in progress Also at the event, Charis Stacey, NHSE community pharmacy and digital primary care strategy lead, said that ... Date: 21-10-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
October Pharmacy First thresholds lowered to 20 ... e service to the public, especially as we enter into the winter period.' NHSE has also confirmed that it is reviewing its projected trajectory of how many Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception service consultations will be delivered by community pharmacies in 2024/25. How do consultation types vary month to month? Analysis by The Pharmacist has revealed that the majority of consultations record ... Date: 01-10-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Pharmacies told to wind down stocks of contraceptive implant ... e called for a dedicated Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and improved access to the full range of contraceptives for all people in the location of their choosing. Under the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service, introduced last year, participating community pharmacies can initiate and manage ongoing supplies of oral contraception. Eventually, the service is expected to include Long Acting Reversible ... Date: 24-09-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • News • Sexual health • Women's health
All parts of Pharmacy First should be open to walk-ins, says CPE ... monthly payment. Meanwhile, NHS England has confirmed to The Pharmacist that it is currently reviewing its projected trajectory of how many Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception service consultations will be delivered by community pharmacies in 2024/25. Date: 18-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
NHSE currently reviewing Pharmacy First ambitions NHS England (NSHE) is currently reviewing its projected trajectory of how many Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception service consultations will be delivered by community pharmacies in 2024/25. And an NSHE spokesperson has revealed that more than half a million Pharmacy First consultations were delivered in the f ... Date: 16-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
CPE ‘pushing for’ £645m investment to cover wider cost pressures ... in England, it was backed by a £645m 'investment in the sector'. This was to include funding for IT systems, Pharmacy First marketing and consultations, as well as the pharmacy hypertension and contraception services. Some £112m of the funding was also used to write off 'over-deliveries'. Speaking to delegates at the Avicenna Heathrow conference last weekend, Alastair Buxton, CPE's director of NHS se ... Date: 13-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
IPA takes pharmacy funding demands to No 10 following Darzi review ... pharmacies have expanded the range of clinical services that they provide – such as blood pressure checks, prescription contraception, and minor illnesses – the total level of spending on the community pharmacy contract has fallen by 8%,’ the report said. Lord Darzi said that community pharmacy had ‘huge potential’ to provide ‘even more value-added services for the NHS’, pointing towards the ‘notable succe ... Date: 13-09-2024 Categories: • News
Darzi report: access to pharmacies 'a great strength' but 'at risk' ... armacies are now closing in significant numbers’. ‘While pharmacies have expanded the range of clinical services that they provide – such as blood pressure checks, prescription contraception, and minor illnesses – the total level of spending on the community pharmacy contract has fallen by 8%,’ the report said. Risk community pharmacy ‘will face similar access problems to GPs’ Lord Darzi said that communi ... Date: 11-09-2024 Categories: • Cancer • Community • Diabetes and endocrinology • Mental health and addiction • Musculoskeletal and rheumatology • News • Respiratory • Vaccinations and infections
Advice on dispensing valproate to men shared by GPhC ... Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warning to men taking valproate. Last week, the UK medicines regulator said men taking valproate and their partners should use effective contraception, because of a small increased risk of harm to children if the drug is used by a father at conception. Healthcare professionals should inform male patients about this ‘newly identified risk’ at thei ... Date: 11-09-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Men's health • Neurology • News • Women's health
CPE concerned pharmacies will 'walk away' from Pharmacy First ... ategically important' that the sector continue to provide the Pharmacy First service, and 'demonstrate that we're doing that well' to local parliamentarians. 'It is a key service, as well as the contraception service and as well as the hypertension case finding service,' he said. And he advised contractors to 'apply skill mix' to the hypertension service, suggesting that 'a good margin' could be made if ... Date: 10-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
MHRA warns men taking valproate to use contraception over small risk to children The UK medicines regulator has warned that men taking valproate and their partners should use effective contraception, because of a small increased risk of harm to children if the drug is used by a father at conception. Healthcare professionals should inform male patients about this ‘newly identified risk’ at the ... Date: 06-09-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Men's health • News • Paediatrics • Sexual health • Women's health
NHSE issues advice to pharmacies ahead of early release of prisoners ... role of community pharmacies in supporting individuals who will be released early from prison in the coming weeks. A letter from NHSE has flagged the potential for Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service to be used to support those being let out of prison as part of a government initiative to help tackle prison capacity pressures. Those eligible for the initiative will be released from pri ... Date: 03-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News
Some pharmacies to start issuing NHS electronic prescriptions ... proposed prescribing models and pathways fall into three broad categories, NHSE said, including: 1. Building on existing community pharmacy commissioned services such as acute minor illness and contraception 2. Long term conditions; including prescribing for cardiovascular disease (statins, anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation) and prescribing for respiratory disease (inhaler optimisation, rescue ther ... Date: 29-08-2024 Categories: • Community • News

Cancer patients urged to consult with pharmacists before taking weight loss drugs ... products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) this month issued a warning to women using weight-loss jabs around the unknown risks of harm during pregnancy and said women should use ‘effective contraception’ while using the injections. Dr Owen Carter, national clinical adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: ‘Recently we have seen a noticeable increase in calls to Macmillan’s free support line and a flurry of messag ... Date: 20-06-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News

Interview: New NPA vice chair on achieving ‘advocacy and a real voice’ for pharmacy ... Ms Basra’s pharmacy offers several clinical services, including Pharmacy First, hypertension and contraception services. But she says ‘the biggest barrier’ was ‘lack of awareness’ among patients. ‘There isn't an awareness out there around what pharmacists do,’ she explained. ‘We have to be our own advocates. We have to sort of donate that information when a patient comes in.’ Prescribing With ch ... Date: 20-06-2025 Categories: • Community • Interviews • Pharmacy First

Weight loss jabs and the role of community pharmacy ... ews-worthy mentions are of a riskier tone, with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warning women taking GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes to use effective contraception, saying ‘there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby’. This warning has, again, thrown the spotlight onto the supply – both legitimate and authorised ... Date: 19-06-2025 Categories: • Analysis • Analysis • Clinical • Community • In Practice

Views sought on pharmacy contract changes and financial security ... ttlement is having across the sector, and to demonstrate this to ministers and officials. It wants to hear opinions on latest pharmacy service developments, including the introduction of emergency contraception, changes to enable better use of skill mix and a new route to rearrange core opening hours. Pharmacy owners will also be asked about ‘the current financial situation’ facing their pharmacy busines ... Date: 09-06-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Women on weight-loss jabs must use ‘effective contraception’, urges MHRA Women using weight-loss jabs should use ‘effective contraception’ while taking them, according to latest guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The regulator has today issued a warning to women using the injections around th ... Date: 05-06-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • News • Nutrition and gastroenterology

Pharmacy First bundle ‘hurdles’ risk pharmacies stopping service altogether, warns CCA ... ve insurmountable for many pharmacies. As of yesterday (1 June), the Pharmacy First ‘bundling requirements’ came into force, meaning pharmacies must be registered to deliver the Pharmacy Contraception Service, Hypertension Case Finding Service and Pharmacy First – in addition to delivering the minimum number of clinical pathway Pharmacy First consultations – to receive a fixed monthly payment. And from O ... Date: 02-06-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Pharmacy First claim window changes this weekend ... ntractor, and it delayed the claim submission. To be eligible for monthly payments from June, contractors must be registered and able to deliver the Hypertension Case Finding Service, Pharmacy Contraception Service and Pharmacy First service in addition to the minimum activity requirement for delivering the clinical pathways. Contractors must register on the MYS portal for all three services by 11.59pm o ... Date: 30-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Fresh calls for Pharmacy First expansion as consultations surpass five million ... acy contract agreed between CPE and the government, £215m will be available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services. Head of policy at the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) Dr Nick Thayer said: ‘Pharmacies offer an additional access route for patients seeking urgent care. With their convenient high street locations and extended opening hours across evening ... Date: 29-05-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News • Pharmacy First

Avoid charges by submitting prescription bundles on time, urges CPE ... vidence and the form no later than one month after the month the fee was applied. Contractors have also been reminded this week that they must register to deliver the Pharmacy Contraception Service, Hypertension Case Finding Service and Pharmacy First before Sunday 1 June to ensure they are entitled to a monthly fixed payment. Date: 29-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News

Deadline for Pharmacy First, contraception and hypertension ‘bundle’ this week Pharmacy owners must register to deliver the Pharmacy Contraception Service, Hypertension Case Finding Service and Pharmacy First before Sunday 1 June to ensure they are entitled to a monthly fixed payment. From 1 June, the Pharmacy First ‘bundling requirements’ c ... Date: 27-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Pharmacies ‘stand ready’ to support new gonorrhoea jab programme ... pharmacies could 'support the successful rollout of this vaccine programme', with a track record of providing vaccinations, sexual health advice and support and contraception. This week new YouGov polling data suggested community pharmacies were the most accessible healthcare location for the public last winter, ahead of GP practices, dentists and hospital services. NHS England’s national director for pr ... Date: 21-05-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Sexual health • Vaccinations and infections

Two-thirds of women pay for the morning-after pill themselves, suggests survey Almost two-thirds (64%) of women say they shoulder the cost for emergency contraception, a survey by Well Pharmacy Online Doctor has revealed. Despite this, 65% of the 1,000 UK adults surveyed said they thought the cost of emergency contraception should be split between partners. ... Date: 20-05-2025 Categories: • Community • Pharmacy First • Women's health

Delivering NHS pharmacy services 'could pay for a new staff member' ... nerated by the pharmacy completing each week: Five new medicines service (NMS) consultations, generating £140 in total Five Pharmacy First consultations, generating £85 in total Three contraception consultations, generating £75 in total Five blood pressure checks, generating £50 in total And two ambulatory blood pressure monitoring services (ABPM), generating £101.70 Ms Shah also urged cont ... Date: 15-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Full Pharmacy First budget will be spent this time, says CPE ... the patient safety element of the scheme, bringing community pharmacy in line with most other healthcare providers and with most locally commissioned emergency hormonal contraception services. New medicines service Mr Buxton noted the split fee for the new medicines service (NMS), which he said had been introduced to incentivise follow-up appointments. Previously, only around half of patients who received ... Date: 12-05-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Interview: Former negotiator reflects on England's new pharmacy contract ... includes increasing the medicines margin to £900m and the single activity fee (SAF) by 19p. A further £215m will be available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services, while a national emergency hormonal contraception service has been commissioned. The new pharmacy contract equates to an average of around £65,200 additional income per pharmacy in England ... Date: 15-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News

What could Kinnock's vision for pharmacy 'reform' look like? ... t brings 'small but important changes' Janet Morrison, chief executive of Community Pharmacy England, said the contract included 'crucial commitments' from the government, including expanded contraception clinical services, a pledge to review margin distribution, and 'a much larger commitment to work with us towards a sustainable funding and operational model for community pharmacy'. And she said the negot ... Date: 11-04-2025 Categories: • Analysis • Community • News

Almost £300m of pharmacy investment 'absorbed by NHS for other purposes' ... 45m announced in May 2023, an estimated £349m has been spent on: Pharmacy First set-up payments, monthly payments and service fees the hypertension case-finding service the pharmacy contraception service development of IT changes for the three services NHS marketing for Pharmacy First writing off a £112m 'overpayment' This was spent over two years: £204m in 2023/24 and £145m in 2024/25 ... Date: 08-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Welsh pharmacies to get £6m ‘stability payment’ ... harmacy sector in England will get £3.073bn for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF), and can earn an additional £215m through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services. The CPCF uplift included a 19p increase in the single activity fee (SAF), effective from April 2025. Have your say on community pharmacy funding in England Are you a community pharmacy contractor based in En ... Date: 04-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News

NPA pausing action recommendation while considering funding deal ... pharmacy contract was announced that included: An uplift to £3.073bn for the 2025/26 global sum A further £215m available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services An increased medicines margin for 2025/26 to £900m Some £193m of historic ‘over-payment’ written off Services delivered during 2024/25 paid at previous contractual rates, including £1 ... Date: 01-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News

IPA questions CPE’s decision to accept ‘inadequate’ pharmacy contract ... Pharmacy Contractual Framework, in a new deal for the sector for 2025/26. Under the deal, a further £215m will be available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services, while a national emergency hormonal contraception service has also been commissioned. But the IPA warned the deal had failed to provide an 'immediate cash injection vitally needed to help stru ... Date: 01-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News

New 'variable payment' for Pharmacy First thresholds ... nable the variable payment, the claim window for these consultations will be reduced to one month from June, the government has said as part of the new contract. Blood pressure, Pharmacy First and contraception 'bundle' To be eligible for monthly payments from June, contractors must be registered and able to deliver the Hypertension Case Finding Service, Pharmacy Contraception Service and Pharmacy First serv ... Date: 01-04-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Dermatology and wound care • News • Paediatrics • Pharmacy First • Vaccinations and infections

Government to introduce hub-to-spoke dispensing across legal entities this year ... es margin increased to £900 million and the single activity fee (SAF) increased by 19p; An additional £215 million for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services; Some £193 million of historic ‘over-payment' written off. Date: 31-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News

National emergency contraception service 'good news' for both patients and pharmacies A new national emergency hormonal contraception (morning-after-pill) service will be commissioned from community pharmacies in England from October. This will standardise the service for both patients and pharmacies, Community Pharmacy England' ... Date: 31-03-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • News • Sexual health • Women's health

Community pharmacies get £3bn deal for 2025/26 ... on Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework, in a new deal for the sector for 2025/26. A further £215 million will be available for contractors to earn through Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception services, while a national emergency hormonal contraception service has been commissioned. The medicines margin for 2025/26 has been increased to £900 million and the single activity fee (SAF) has b ... Date: 31-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Pharmacies using Pharmacy Services can now access patient records ... testing phase with the functionality. It follows the roll out of Update Record which allows registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to add updates from Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception consultations to patient records. Leanne Hackett, product director for Cegedim Rx, said the company was 'delighted' to be 'the first community pharmacy IT supplier to switch on functionality for a ... Date: 27-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

'I'm reluctant, but I have to cut costs': The contractors supporting NPA action ... al services, Kevin says the funding for these services doesn’t and shouldn’t cover core business costs. ‘We can't sustain our businesses on Pharmacy First, emergency contraception and supervised substance misuse. Those are additional services – the core business is dispensing 10,000 prescriptions a month, and that does not sustain my business. And any amount of extra work that that I'm given doesn't allevia ... Date: 18-03-2025 Categories: • Community • Interviews • News

NPA tells pharmacies to reduce hours as April looms with no contract yet ... g unfunded free home deliveries of medicines; withdrawing from locally commissioned services, including some local addiction support services, emergency contraception and stop smoking support; refusing to co-operate with certain data requests above those required for patient safety and contractual minimums. 'People are borrowing money, re-mortgaging houses' But he said he believed ‘the human being si ... Date: 18-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News

Heart attack and stroke risk higher with certain hormonal contraceptives ... taining products, in particular the vaginal ring and skin patch. But no increased risk was found for the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device. While an association between hormonal contraception and heart attacks and strokes has been reported before the studies are outdated and have produced inconsistent results, they noted. There had also been a lack of detail on the different types of contra ... Date: 04-03-2025 Categories: • Clinical • News • Sexual health • Women's health

Pharmacists to have greater patient record access under new GP contract ... a new deal announced today has stipulated. The GP Connect Update Record functionality allows registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to add updates from Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception consultations to patient records. And Access Record will enable pharmacy systems to access patient records as needed for patient care. In October, NHSE confirmed that Access Record was being pi ... Date: 28-02-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Pharmacy2U launches combined pharmacy, GP, NHS, vet and wellness services platform ... tions – free fully tracked delivery of NHS prescriptions Carer’s Accounts – to manage prescriptions on behalf of others NHS Services – including Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service Online Doctor – consultations for 17 conditions including sexual health, weight loss and skin problems Pet Health – vet medication and pet products Health & Wellness Shop – with 4,000+ products a ... Date: 25-02-2025 Categories: • Community • News

Valproate in men: review by two specialists not needed for continuation ... he Commission on Human Medicine (CHM) has advised. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) previously advised that men taking valproate and their partners should use effective contraception, as a precaution against potential teratogenic risks. And it has now released three infographics outlining risk minimisation measures required for valproate prescribing, which clarify in which sit ... Date: 21-02-2025 Categories: • Clinical • In Practice • Men's health • Neurology • Sexual health • Women's health

Welsh common ailments service saw more than 400,000 patients last year ... dispensary, we are now in the consultation room for the most part of the day, offering clinical services. On average we undertake more than 20 consultations every day, ranging from providing contraception to emergency medicine supplies,' she said. 'The demand for advice on common conditions in the community is great, providing pharmacists with an opportunity to share advice and treatment with their patient ... Date: 22-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News

Working with community pharmacy as primary care engagement lead ... community pharmacies for eligible patients, in alignment with the Primary Care Access Recovery Plan (PCARP) services. These services include Hypertension Case-Finding, Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service. Enhancing patient referrals for PCARP services will not only improve access to care within general practices but also promote more efficient utilisation of resources. Furthermore, it will ... Date: 09-01-2025 Categories: • Cardiovascular • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Interviews • Interviews

NHS England data claims 87% of pharmacies ‘actively delivering’ Pharmacy First ... ractice, NHS England has claimed. NHS England’s new Pharmacy First data also showed that 92% of pharmacies are signed up to provide the blood pressure check service and 77% to the pharmacy contraception service. Around 7,300 pharmacies (69%) are signed up to all three services (Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception). GPs attending the NHS England webinar asked for clarification on how many ... Date: 23-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News • Pharmacy First

Disappointment over health 'milestone' as sector says pharmacies can help move care to the community ... for a local healthy living and prevention support service, particularly focused in areas of deprivation. And recommendations were made by several respondents for a national Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) service, a national smoking cessation service, and a greater role for community pharmacies in vaccinations and screening. In particular, services that made use of pharmacists' prescribing skills ... Date: 06-12-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

NHS silos 'holding back access' to PrEP in pharmacies ... l pharmacy'. And it said that the plan 'should diversify the places where people can have a conversation about their HIV risk and be given PrEP, for example antenatal care, women’s health hubs, contraception services, and prisons, among others'. It added: 'Pharmacies must be able to dispense the PrEP that is prescribed by these services. 'These avenues provide a rare opportunity to address PrEP awaren ... Date: 04-12-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • News • Sexual health

Pharmacy owners vote overwhelmingly in favour of collective action ... ng medicines to patients' homes for free if the service is not funded. 96.1% voted to withdraw from locally commissioned services, including some local addiction support services, emergency contraception and stop smoking support. 99.2% voted to refuse to co-operate with certain data requests above those required for patient safety and contractual minimums. 96.8% voted to withdraw from supplying free m ... Date: 14-11-2024 Categories: • Community • News

Pharmacies piloting access to GP records ... ctured format, where they can be added automatically or with 'one-click' to the patient's GP record. The GP Connect functionalities have been developed for use with Pharmacy First, the Pharmacy Contraception Service and the pharmacy blood pressure service. 'Extensive amount of assurance' in progress Also at the event, Charis Stacey, NHSE community pharmacy and digital primary care strategy lead, said that ... Date: 21-10-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

October Pharmacy First thresholds lowered to 20 ... e service to the public, especially as we enter into the winter period.' NHSE has also confirmed that it is reviewing its projected trajectory of how many Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception service consultations will be delivered by community pharmacies in 2024/25. How do consultation types vary month to month? Analysis by The Pharmacist has revealed that the majority of consultations record ... Date: 01-10-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Pharmacies told to wind down stocks of contraceptive implant ... e called for a dedicated Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and improved access to the full range of contraceptives for all people in the location of their choosing. Under the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service, introduced last year, participating community pharmacies can initiate and manage ongoing supplies of oral contraception. Eventually, the service is expected to include Long Acting Reversible ... Date: 24-09-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • News • Sexual health • Women's health

All parts of Pharmacy First should be open to walk-ins, says CPE ... monthly payment. Meanwhile, NHS England has confirmed to The Pharmacist that it is currently reviewing its projected trajectory of how many Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception service consultations will be delivered by community pharmacies in 2024/25. Date: 18-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

NHSE currently reviewing Pharmacy First ambitions NHS England (NSHE) is currently reviewing its projected trajectory of how many Pharmacy First, blood pressure and contraception service consultations will be delivered by community pharmacies in 2024/25. And an NSHE spokesperson has revealed that more than half a million Pharmacy First consultations were delivered in the f ... Date: 16-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

CPE ‘pushing for’ £645m investment to cover wider cost pressures ... in England, it was backed by a £645m 'investment in the sector'. This was to include funding for IT systems, Pharmacy First marketing and consultations, as well as the pharmacy hypertension and contraception services. Some £112m of the funding was also used to write off 'over-deliveries'. Speaking to delegates at the Avicenna Heathrow conference last weekend, Alastair Buxton, CPE's director of NHS se ... Date: 13-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

IPA takes pharmacy funding demands to No 10 following Darzi review ... pharmacies have expanded the range of clinical services that they provide – such as blood pressure checks, prescription contraception, and minor illnesses – the total level of spending on the community pharmacy contract has fallen by 8%,’ the report said. Lord Darzi said that community pharmacy had ‘huge potential’ to provide ‘even more value-added services for the NHS’, pointing towards the ‘notable succe ... Date: 13-09-2024 Categories: • News

Darzi report: access to pharmacies 'a great strength' but 'at risk' ... armacies are now closing in significant numbers’. ‘While pharmacies have expanded the range of clinical services that they provide – such as blood pressure checks, prescription contraception, and minor illnesses – the total level of spending on the community pharmacy contract has fallen by 8%,’ the report said. Risk community pharmacy ‘will face similar access problems to GPs’ Lord Darzi said that communi ... Date: 11-09-2024 Categories: • Cancer • Community • Diabetes and endocrinology • Mental health and addiction • Musculoskeletal and rheumatology • News • Respiratory • Vaccinations and infections

Advice on dispensing valproate to men shared by GPhC ... Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warning to men taking valproate. Last week, the UK medicines regulator said men taking valproate and their partners should use effective contraception, because of a small increased risk of harm to children if the drug is used by a father at conception. Healthcare professionals should inform male patients about this ‘newly identified risk’ at thei ... Date: 11-09-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Men's health • Neurology • News • Women's health

CPE concerned pharmacies will 'walk away' from Pharmacy First ... ategically important' that the sector continue to provide the Pharmacy First service, and 'demonstrate that we're doing that well' to local parliamentarians. 'It is a key service, as well as the contraception service and as well as the hypertension case finding service,' he said. And he advised contractors to 'apply skill mix' to the hypertension service, suggesting that 'a good margin' could be made if ... Date: 10-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

MHRA warns men taking valproate to use contraception over small risk to children The UK medicines regulator has warned that men taking valproate and their partners should use effective contraception, because of a small increased risk of harm to children if the drug is used by a father at conception. Healthcare professionals should inform male patients about this ‘newly identified risk’ at the ... Date: 06-09-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Men's health • News • Paediatrics • Sexual health • Women's health

NHSE issues advice to pharmacies ahead of early release of prisoners ... role of community pharmacies in supporting individuals who will be released early from prison in the coming weeks. A letter from NHSE has flagged the potential for Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service to be used to support those being let out of prison as part of a government initiative to help tackle prison capacity pressures. Those eligible for the initiative will be released from pri ... Date: 03-09-2024 Categories: • Community • News

Some pharmacies to start issuing NHS electronic prescriptions ... proposed prescribing models and pathways fall into three broad categories, NHSE said, including: 1. Building on existing community pharmacy commissioned services such as acute minor illness and contraception 2. Long term conditions; including prescribing for cardiovascular disease (statins, anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation) and prescribing for respiratory disease (inhaler optimisation, rescue ther ... Date: 29-08-2024 Categories: • Community • News

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