As we await the NHS’s 10-year plan which is due for release next week, the stage is set for community pharmacy to play a defining role in shaping a healthier future for our nation.
With Westminster confirming the 3% uplift in day-to-day NHS spending until 2028-29 in the recent spending review and community pharmacy funding already agreed and aligned to key priorities, we now have clarity, stability, and the opportunity to deliver at scale.
The focus is clear: prevention, tackling inequalities, and supporting healthier lives.
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The annual community pharmacy contractual framework (CPCF) has been set at £3.073 billion, representing a £481 million uplift that underscores the government’s recognition of the vital role of community pharmacy.
These funding decisions, coupled with regulatory reform, give us a platform for change.
Pharmacy First, hypertension case finding, women’s health services, and other commissioned services are not just contracts on paper, they are the practical means through which community pharmacy will help deliver the NHS’s long-term vision.
The shift from illness treatment to prevention, from inequality to equity, from reactive to proactive care.
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The forthcoming hub-and-spoke and supervision reforms present both opportunity and challenge.
These changes should be seen as enablers, allowing us to free up pharmacists’ time for patient-facing, clinical work while safeguarding safety and quality.
Importantly, success will depend on getting the detail right, ensuring teams are supported, and always keeping the needs of patients at the centre.
“Strengthen primary care partnerships”
Our focus now must be on delivery. We need to embed these services into everyday pharmacy practice so that they are accessible to all, delivered consistently, and of the highest quality.
This will ensure that community pharmacy becomes the natural first port of call for prevention, early intervention, and support for healthy living. We must also strengthen partnerships across primary care and public health.
By working even more closely with GPs, community services, and other healthcare providers, we can ensure that pharmacy is fully integrated into population health strategies, helping to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes at scale.
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Finally, we have a responsibility to support our workforce to embrace the future.
That means providing the tools, training, and support that enable pharmacy teams to take on new clinical roles, make the most of digital innovation, and work collaboratively across the NHS.
This is how we will unlock the full potential of our sector as we are perfectly positioned to embrace this next phase of NHS transformation. We have the infrastructure, the trust of the public, and the commitment of our teams.
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Now, with funding certainty for the NHS over the next three years and regulatory change on the horizon, we have the opportunity to show what pharmacy can truly deliver.
Of course, to enable community pharmacy to meet its full potential it must receive further funding to close the gap identified by the recent economic review.
2025 and beyond will be defining years and collectively we should be ready to rise to the challenge.
Harry McQuillan is chairman of Numark and former chief executive of Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS).