An additional £7m will be invested into the Welsh community pharmacy sector, as the latest Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) agreement for 2025-26 is announced.
The Welsh government reached an agreement with the NHS and Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) yesterday (20 November), which includes a 4% increase in funding for the sector this year.
This increase will see the value of CPCF fees and allowances for Wales rise to £182m – an increase of nearly 30% since 2016-17.
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The 4% increase is in line with the NHS Pay Review Body recommendations for Doctors and Dentists (DDRB) which the Welsh government cabinet secretary for health and social care, Jeremy Miles, has agreed to extend to community pharmacy, CPW confirmed.
‘This record level of investment recognises the role community pharmacies play and rewards the effort and dedication of community pharmacy teams,’ Jeremy Miles said in a statement.
‘The measures agreed as part of this funding package will help ensure the NHS maximises the use of the skills and expertise of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and the wider pharmacy team in every community in Wales.’
He said the investment would help to address the challenges facing community pharmacies, while continuing to support progress towards the Welsh government’s longer-term ambitions for reform.
This follows the announcement in September of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s new three-year goals to advance pharmacy services across Wales.
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Increasing patient access to independent prescribers and creating ‘innovative’ career pathways for pharmacists are among them.
A spokesperson for CPW said: ‘Whilst the CPW Board welcomes the additional funding, the Board has made clear throughout the negotiations that the current funding levels are insufficient to prevent a financial crisis across the network.
‘Without further support, contractors will be forced to make difficult business decisions that could adversely affect the delivery of community pharmacy clinical services and limit the sector’s ability to embrace future reforms.’
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Chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association, Malcolm Harrison, said: ‘We welcome the 4% uplift in funding, which will help alleviate some of the significant pressures currently facing the network in Wales.
However, he also acknowledged that the demand and workload in community pharmacies continues to grow at a pace that far exceeds current funding levels. Continued investment in future deals is ‘essential’ he added, if the goals of the Welsh government are to be achieved.
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