Market Exit: PCSE takes over administration of pharmacy premises withdrawal

Any pharmacy premises withdrawal requests submitted before 1st July 2024 will still be processed directly by the respective integrated care board  

From today, Primary Care Support England (PCSE) will manage the administration and processing of notices of withdrawal from a pharmaceutical list.

Pharmacy and dispensing appliance contractors who wish to withdraw their premises must now submit closure notification forms to PCSE, which will forward them to the relevant integrated care board (ICB).

Withdrawal notices should be sent to pcse.marketentry@nhs.net.

NHS England announced PCSE's new role last week.

For permanent closure of premises, pharmacies with 40 core opening hours, those with more than 40 core opening hours under a direction, and dispensing appliance contractors are required to give a minimum notice period of three months.

Pharmacies that operate or have operated under the 100-hour condition must provide at least six months' notice.

Under regulation 67 of the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013, as amended, if it is impracticable for contractors to provide the required notice period, they must inform NHS England (or the ICB in whose area the premises are located from 1 April 2023) as soon as it is practicable to do so.

Additionally, the ICB can agree to a shorter notice period.

Closure of premises notification should be completed by contractors where they wish to withdraw premises from a pharmaceutical list. This form is not applicable to contractors operating under a local pharmaceutical services (LPS) contract or dispensing doctors looking to withdraw premises from a dispensing doctor list.

Any withdrawal requests submitted before 1 July 2024 will still be processed directly by the ICB, and any related inquiries should be addressed to the respective ICB.