As the pharmacy profession prepares for a new cohort of independent prescribers (IP) to begin issuing prescriptions under this autumn, questions remain over whether community pharmacies have the financial and structural capacity to support them.
To gauge sector sentiment, Pharmacy Business polled its LinkedIn community on whether the industry can afford to accommodate newly qualified prescribers.
The results paint a stark picture of sector readiness:
- 45% stated that the pharmacy sector simply cannot afford to support new independent prescribers.
- 41% indicated they could only support them if separate, dedicated funding is provided.
- 10% admitted they were unsure.
- Only 3% believed the sector can currently afford to accommodate new independent prescribers.
The proposed financial model for the service is a cause for concern. Under recent contract updates, the national IP service will be launched as an extension of Pharmacy First, paying a flat rate of £17 per consultation for new prescribing pathways.
Speaking on Pharmacy Business podcast episode, "Reflections on Pharmacy Funding", sector leaders warned that matching the IP fee completely ignores the massive jump in clinical responsibility and legal liability that writing a prescription entail.
In a separate Pharmacy Business LinkedIn poll addressing the rate, an overwhelming 85% of respondents stated that the £17 fee is inadequate due to the high liability involved. Just 4% felt it was a fair start, while 11% remained unsure.
A landmark report published by health research specialists Thiscovery and the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) confirmed that while community pharmacists strongly endorse the expansion of independent prescribing, severe structural obstacles — specifically inadequate NHS funding and restricted access to full patient records — continue to threaten a smooth rollout.
Representing independent businesses, the Independent Pharmacy Contractors Network (IPCN) confirmed it will only endorse the upcoming independent prescribing service if it is fully funded.
The IPCN cautioned that launching independent prescribing without a robust governance framework and adequate remuneration exposes patients, prescribers, and pharmacy owners to unacceptable risk.
