RE: Community Pharmacy Funding Settlement 2024/25 & 2025/26
 

Dear Member,

We’ve now received the confirmed funding settlement for the next two years – and while there’s a long way to go, this package includes a significant uplift in funding and some much-needed reforms. Please see a context summary and a snapshot of changes attached.

Here’s what you need to know:

1.  Funding Headlines
    •    2025/26 CPCF baseline: £3.073bn (+19.7% vs 2023/24)
    •    Pharmacy First budget: £215m
    •    Total uplift: 31.9% vs 2023/24
    •    Medicines margin increased to £900m; £193m of historic over-delivery written off
This means an extra 19p per item in fees and roughly 9p in margin

2.   Service Updates
   2.1)    Pharmacy First
    •    Fees up to £17 per clinical consultation (NHS 111 stays at £15)
    •    New monthly payment bands from June: £500 (20–29 consults), £1,000 (30+)
    •    Bundling requirements phased in:
    •    June 2025: Must be registered for PCS & HCFS
    •    Oct 2025: Must deliver 1x ABPM/month
    •    Mar 2026: Must deliver a set number of contraception consults/month (TBC)
 2.2)    Contraception Service:
    •    Fee up to £25 per consult from Apr 25
    •    Emergency contraception (EHC) added from October 2025 (£20 + drug cost)*

    2.3)    Hypertension from Apr 25 :*
    •    Clinic check drops to £10 (reduced from £15)
    •    ABPM fee increases to £50.85
   2.4)    NMS:
    •    Simplified to include £14 for part completed NMS
    •    Depression added from Oct 2025
   2.5)     Smoking Cessation:
Skill mix and PGD updates coming

3.   PQS 2025/26
    •    Smaller scheme with familiar domains worth around £3,066
    •    Aspiration payments (£2,300) available in May
    •    Includes mental health training, sepsis audit, palliative care and more
 

4.   Regulatory & Operational Changes
    •    Fewer audits and health campaigns
    •    Practice leaflets, prescription signatures, and staff references scrapped
    •    Easier to change core opening hours – subject to new criteria
    •    DSPs restricted from providing Enhanced/Advanced services on premises (from Oct 2025)
    •    NMS can’t be subcontracted

Important: The Government acknowledges the funding gap and sees this as a first step toward sustainability. There’s also a pledge to continue reviewing Pharmacy First, medicines margin, and payment models.

Plan of Action for Members
    •    Get ready for Pharmacy First changes – check volumes and start registering for PCS & HCFS
    •    Prepare for April fee changes (SAF, ABPM, NMS etc.)
    •    Watch for our detailed guidance on PQS, service bundles, and regulatory changes
    •    Keep an eye out – more info and timelines to follow!

We’ll be unpacking this further in the coming weeks – and supporting you through the implementation.

NOTE About NMS / DMS Service Provider - SERVICE BOOSTERS

We acknowledge that a change is going to take place with the NMS Service and we are discussing this with our current service provider - Service Boosters and suggest members registered for using the service carry on for now. We will update members accordingly as we receive further more detailed advice from CPE and when this change starts.

Best regards,

PharmaPlus