Contract

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has set out five “tests” for a funding deal and warned that it will “not hesitate” to recommend collective action if these are not met.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned that it will have “little choice but to advise pharmacies to take collective action later this month” if delays to the pharmacy contract negotiations continue.

CPE data shows 96% of pharmacy owners are “concerned” or “very concerned” that “their business may not survive this winter” as Sadik Al-Hassan MP is “eager to see this government avoid mistakes made during the past 14 years that have brought our sector to a crisis point”.

Health secretary says funding negotiations will begin “shortly in the new year” as pharmacy minister says the delay is because negotiations “did not get over the line before the general election”.

CPE has expressed “severe frustration and intense anger” as it reveals that pharmacy contract negotiations are “stuck” between the Department of Health and Social Care (DH) and NHS England (NHSE).

The pharmacy sector has been left in limbo since its five-year funding deal came to end in April, but after delay upon delay to negotiations, are we any closer to a new deal?

The RPS has called on the government to change legislation to allow community pharmacists to amend prescriptions when medicines are in short supply, a new report published today (November 26) has said.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) has admitted that the system is “no longer supporting” pharmacists, amid overwhelming support for pharmacy collective action.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has revealed that negotiations around the Pharmacy First service were “horrendous”, as core contract negotiations that were originally set to conclude in March continue.

CPE has announced that the seat allocation on its committee will change “as quickly as possible” – in 2026.