The Welsh government this week (April 28) announced the launch of a new “community pharmacy premise improvement scheme”, offering contractors financial assistance to develop their premises.
The scheme will “deliver better integrated care and health closer to home, encouraging the public to seek the right care from the right person, first time,” it said.
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It is open to all NHS Wales community pharmacy contractors and “grants are available up to a maximum value of £45,000 per applicant”, the government said, adding that there is a total fund of £700,000 for 2025/26.
According to the Welsh government, projects with “total costs less than £5,000” will receive “100% financial assistance” from the scheme, while plans above that sum will be offered “up to 50% funding”, with contractors covering the remainder of costs.
“Community pharmacy contractors should not ask for a grant to cover 100% of the physical works to be carried out” if their project costs more than £5,000, it stressed.
“Improving access”
The “grant scheme” begins on May 12 and will be open until March 31 next year, the government said.
And it added that the improvement scheme is part of the Welsh government’s commitment to “reform primary care and to increase access to health care professionals”.
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The grants can be used to “improve community pharmacy premises” with a focus on any of the following criteria:
- Investment into digital or automated systems to “improve efficiencies in the NHS supply of medicines”
- “Improving access” to NHS community pharmacy clinical services
- Supporting the NHS Wales contribution towards “ministerial ambition” for the Welsh public sector to be “collectively net zero carbon by 2030”
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Meanwhile, a robotic medication machine – the first of its kind in Europe – is being trialled in north Wales to help rural residents access urgent medication.
The “ground-breaking technology” will see medication dispensed after a teleconsultation with a clinician through contacting NHS 111 out of hours and will be trialled until March 2027.
