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Policy paper

Community pharmacy reforms

Details changes to the pharmacy sector and contractual framework from December 2016.

Updates to this page

From:
Department of Health and Social Care
Published:
20 October 2016
Last updated:
21 December 2017
Show all updates

  1. Added updated PhAS list.

  2. Updated documents: 'Community pharmacy in 2017/18 and beyond: The pharmacy access scheme' and 'List of pharmacies eligible for payment'.

  3. Updated the list of pharmacies eligible for the Pharmacy Access Scheme to remove pharmacies that were included in error. The pharmacies removed were Distance-Selling Pharmacies, which aren't eligible for the scheme, and Local Pharmaceutical Services pharmacies, which have separate contractual arrangements.

  4. First published.

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

Documents

Community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond: final package

PDF, 357 KB, 18 pages

Community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond: impact assessment

PDF, 1.36 MB, 27 pages

Community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond: the pharmacy access scheme

PDF, 313 KB, 9 pages

List of pharmacies eligible for payment

PDF, 1.46 MB, 70 pages

Details

The final package document explains the package of reforms, including changes to the community pharmacy contractual framework. We’ve also published an impact assessment relating to these changes.

The pharmacy access scheme document explains the eligibility criteria and rules of the scheme. The list of pharmacies provides details of the pharmacies that qualify for a payment from the scheme.

Pharmacy contractors can request a review of eligibility to the scheme. The process for this is administered by NHS England and guidance and application forms are available on the NHS Business Services Authority website.

The government consulted the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee as the body recognised under section 165(1)(a) of the NHS Act 2006 as representing all community pharmacies providing NHS pharmaceutical services in England. Given the potential impact of these proposals, and in keeping with section 165(1)(b) of the NHS Act 2006, we also consulted with other pharmacy organisations and patient and public groups.

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