Overview
- The Department of Health and Community Pharmacy England have agreed a £340 million package to roll out NHS-funded Independent Prescribing nationally from Autumn 2026 and expand the Pharmacy First programme.
- Pharmacists who hold the Independent Prescribing qualification will be able to assess patients and prescribe medicines directly as a commissioned NHS service, building on existing Pharmacy First arrangements.
- The expansion will add five more conditions to the range treated at pharmacies though the specific ailments have not yet been published.
- Official figures show strong demand for pharmacy care already: more than 3.3 million Pharmacy First consultations were delivered between March 2025 and February 2026 and 86% of users reported a positive experience.
- Industry groups welcomed the clinical gains but the National Pharmacy Association warned the package does not close a previously identified £2.5 billion sector funding gap and said many community pharmacies could struggle to implement the changes without further financial support and workforce capacity.