Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) chair Mark Griffiths yesterday (November 27) revealed that negotiations for the 2025/26 funding deal “tested the resilience and patience of the sector”.
Speaking during a webinar update on the contract, he told pharmacists that the process was “exceptionally challenging and at times deeply frustrating for all involved”.
The Welsh government last week announced that it had “reached an agreement” with the NHS and CPW on the contract, resulting in a 4% funding increase for the sector.
Read more: Welsh pharmacies awarded 4% funding increase for 2025/26
“The process began as far back as January, with the first formal meeting in February,” Griffiths explained, but he noted that “despite CPW’s best efforts, progress was repeatedly delayed”.
He acknowledged that negotiations were paused in March “at CPW’s request” to allow for “urgent discussions” that “did unlock a much-needed £6 million stabilisation payment”, but highlighted that “further delays followed”.
“Totally inadequate”
“Despite CPW’s best endeavours”, it “could not persuade the Welsh government to increase the overall quantum” above the £182m announced in the funding deal last week, Griffiths said.
“In fact, it was clear that the Welsh government negotiators had no authority to depart from that figure, indicating that failure to reach agreement could risk the overall quantum remaining at the 2024/25 level of £175m,” he added.
Read more: CPW demands ‘equal’ pay for community and GP pharmacists
Griffiths stressed that the additional investment secured for the 2025/26 deal is “a testament to the vital role community pharmacies play in every Welsh community” and will “help address some of the immediate challenges”.
“However, let me be absolutely clear, the overall level of funding remains totally inadequate,” he said, noting that “while the extra resources will provide some relief, they fall short of what is needed to guarantee the viability” of pharmacy businesses.
CPW will continue to “press for the support [the] sector needs as soon as the 2026/27 negotiations get underway” he said, while another CPW representative added that the negotiator intends to “commence [its] deliberations...immediately”.
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Griffiths also acknowledged that contractors had “expressed concerns about the apparent lack of communication” from CPW, noting that “this lack of transparency has been a source of frustration...stress and anxiety”.
He explained, however, that communication was “necessarily limited” as many documents exchanged during negotiations were marked as “sensitive” and “not for wider circulation”.
Read more: CPW welcomes 6% funding increase for Welsh community pharmacies
According to Welsh health secretary Jeremy Miles, last week’s funding increase equates to an additional £7m this year” and will see the “value of community pharmacy contractual framework (CPCF) fees and allowances rise to £182m”.
This “record level of investment” recognises the role of community pharmacy and “rewards” the sector’s “effort and dedication”, he said at the time.
