Community Pharmacy England has said that the negotiations on the arrangements for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) in 2026/27 have not yet concluded.
"Government requirements dictate that negotiations must remain confidential, but, as pharmacy owners themselves, Committee Members know how incredibly frustrating the lack of certainty is. It makes managing finances all the more difficult, and planning for the future almost impossible," the CPE said.
The CPE met in London for a full Committee meeting on 22nd and 23rd April, and discussions focused largely on the ongoing CPCF negotiations, reviewing progress to date, and the latest position.
The Committee was briefed on the details of the latest offer from the Government and the NHS – highlighting where progress has been made in response to the Negotiating Team’s arguments.
In-depth discussions enabled further exploration of the proposals and related issues in more detail, helping Members to consider together what is, or isn’t, favourable to the sector.
CPE chief executive Janet Morrison said, “This was an incredibly important Committee Meeting as we make progress through complex CPCF negotiations, allowing all Committee Members to understand in-depth the details of the current offer and their implications, to reflect on where we are relative to our negotiating positions, and to reaffirm our priorities.
"Pharmacy owners are rightly very anxious for news about their futures, and we hope that CPCF news will be available in the coming weeks. Committee Members also looked at wide-ranging topics such as the support we offer to LPCs, medicines supply, and our upcoming Regional Roadshows, which we hope many pharmacy owners will attend.”
The CPE said that consideration was also given to the post-negotiations plan of action and the work programme needed to resolve key challenges with DHSC/NHSE before the next round of negotiations and in the longer term.
We hope to be able to say more on these important outcomes in the coming weeks, it added.
