Pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock stressed the government remains ‘committed’ to making prescribing a part of the role of community pharmacists.
The Labour Party in its election manifesto last year said it would create a Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service, granting more pharmacists independent prescribing rights.
Whilst earlier this month, the NHS 10 Year Plan outlined plans that over the next five years, community pharmacy will transition from being focused largely on dispensing medicines to becoming integral to the Neighbourhood Health Service, offering more clinical services,
“We are committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and to better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians,” said Kinnock.
“That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists.”
When asked in parliament if he could reveal any information on plans to increase services commissioned to community pharmacies, Kinnock said that these decisions will be based on discussions with Community Pharmacy England (CPE)
He added: “future decisions on service arrangements for community pharmacies beyond 2025/26 are subject to the current spending review.”
All newly qualified pharmacists will automatically become independent prescribers upon registration from September 2026. This will lead to an estimated 2,600 pharmacists joining the NHS as independent prescribers.
Kinnock has revealed that the government will invest in training for independent prescribers and well as mentoring schemes for new prescribers.
NHS England has funded 3,000 training places for existing pharmacists to become independent prescribers and is training 1,000 Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPP) and educational supervisors to support the training of pharmacist independent prescribers.
“NHS England is investing in training for independent prescribers, as well as initiatives to support the development and safe practice of designated prescribing practitioners (DPPs) and educational supervisors,” said Kinnock
“This will ensure the National Health Service is ready to support and mentor foundation trainee pharmacists from the 2025/26 academic year, alongside training existing pharmacists that are learning to be independent prescribers.”
