Morrison: Pharmacy contract news “before the start of the financial year”

Community pharmacies will get clarity over a new funding contract before the start of the financial year, according to Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison.

Yesterday, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) announced that it will advise its members to go on collective action from April 1^st which will see a reduction in opening hours and services.

The NPA said it had taken the unprecedented step in the face of what it has described as an April cliff-edge that will see a range of financial burdens placed on the sector.

The government said the move would cause "unnecessary disruption for patients" and a settlement with pharmacies was already being worked on.

The CPE, which negotiates the pharmacy contract with NHS England, said today it was aware of the urgent need for pharmacists to know the funding they will receive.

“As well as additional funding, pharmacy owners desperately need clarity about the future; many are already making impossible decisions to help their businesses to survive and to protect patients,” said Morrison.

“All CPE Committee Members are fully aware of the sector’s urgent need for funding and of the need to resolve negotiations as robustly and speedily as possible to secure the best outcomes for pharmacy owners.

“We are not able to give a running commentary on negotiations, but as the Secretary of State commented to Parliament last week – negotiations are ‘about to conclude’. It remains our goal to communicate with the sector as soon as possible, and before the start of the financial year.”

Pharmacies have seen around a 40 per cent cut to this funding in real terms since 2017, forcing record numbers to close. 29 have shut since the beginning of the year, with around 1,300 pharmacies shutting since 2017.

Around 90 per cent of an average pharmacy's work is funded via the NHS, including dispensing medication and vaccinations. But although the end of the current financial year is just days away pharmacies are yet to receive any confirmation of funding for either the 2024/25 or 25/26 financial years that might allow them to avoid service reductions.