Six-in-10 pharmacies do not plan to deliver new prescribing services

Nearly six-in-10 community pharmacies do not plan to provide expanded independent prescribing (IP) services being introduced under the new contract, a survey has revealed.

A survey of the Independent Pharmacies Association’s (IPA) 3,500 pharmacy members across England and Wales found that just 12.6% currently intend to deliver the proposed IP-led services.

The poll found that 57.5% of pharmacies do not intend to introduce the services, with 29.9% undecided.

The IPA said that the findings suggest ‘widespread concern’ about the practical and financial viability of delivering the new services, which were a key part of the government’s contract announcement last month.

Many respondents cited the cost of recruiting or training IPs, uncertainty around how the services will operate in practice, and insufficient funding as reasons not to deliver IP services, the association added.

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Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the IPA, said: ‘Community pharmacies want to do more for patients and support the government’s ambition to deliver more care closer to home, and agree that IP is the right step forward for the profession.

‘However, our survey shows there are serious concerns about whether IP services are financially viable under the current arrangements.

‘Many pharmacies simply cannot afford the costs associated with recruiting or training IPs without additional support. At the same time, they are being asked to take on new responsibilities while dealing with years of underfunding and rising operating costs.’

The IPA said the survey highlights growing frustration among pharmacy owners who feel they are being asked to do ‘more for less’ while continuing to face severe financial pressures.

Rising drug costs have recently sparked warnings that pharmacies are 'being forced to subsidise the NHS out of their own pockets'.

And pharmacists have raised concerns they will see very little of the £340 million contract funding uplift due to rising business rates, national minimum wage and inflationary costs.

Under the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) for 2026/27 from this autumn a national NHS-funded IP offer will be introduced as an extension of Pharmacy First and the pharmacy contraception service.

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Yet in the most recent episode of The Pharmacist’s Podcast, CPE chief executive Janet Morrison said she was doubtful that the government would meet its autumn deadline.

CPE said it had raised concerns during contract negotiations that with the proposed funding the addition of IP to the contract risked being set up to fail.

It said at the time: ‘We are not persuaded that sufficient investment is being made to enable the full and effective introduction of IP, given the workload, enhanced clinical responsibility, clinical governance and infrastructure requirements that it will entail.

‘It will be down to pharmacy owners to decide on an individual basis whether they want to provide the service or prioritise the use of IP skills elsewhere in their business.’

The government’s IP proposals include:

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• Adding prescribing within existing Pharmacy First clinical pathways and the contraception service;
• Creating up to five new prescribing-only pathways; and
• Allowing pharmacists to prescribe alternative medication where necessary – for example, where the original prescription drug is out of stock.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the introduction will be funded through a one-off £500 set-up fee, with a £525 monthly infrastructure fee and £17 payment per consultations delivered.

CPE has said that bacterial conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis, oral thrush, skin infections and respiratory tract infections are services that would be considered for the expanded Pharmacy First service.

During the summer, NHS England will create a clinical reference group of experts across primary care who will consider the new pathways for IPs under Pharmacy First, The Pharmacist understands.