Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is “still working to shape” the reform agenda agreed with the government as part of the new pharmacy contract, its chief executive has said.
In papers for CPE’s June committee meeting, published yesterday, Janet Morrison said the negotiator was continuing to work with the Department of Health and Social Care (DH) “to shape a forward-looking programme of community pharmacy contractual reform, centred on strengthening the sustainability of the sector”.
Read more: No ‘precise timeline’ for pharmacy reform agenda, says CPE
Morrison highlighted a “more effective medicines margin framework” and a “fundamental review of the current reimbursement model against alternative approaches” as key areas of focus for the agenda.
The reforms “will also involve reexamining the clinical services offered across the network”, she added, “with a clearer steer on national and local commissioning and funding architecture that supports greater clinical contribution”.
Morrison also addressed the need for a reassessment of dispensing practices within a modern medicines optimisation model, and CPE’s pursuit of “regulatory reform that removes barriers, enables innovation, and supports effective patient access”.
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The DH committed to working on a programme of reform with CPE as part of the 2026/27 pharmacy funding deal, which delivered a funding package of £3.636bn to the sector in May.
CPE said June’s meeting also involved discussion of the “key risks associated with advancing” the agenda, as well as “the most effective approaches to influencing and shaping the programme as it develops”.
Read more: CPE ‘not really a negotiating committee’, says NPA chief exec
It comes after Morrison last month said the programme of reform would be “challenging”, and that CPE has “got be to realistic” about the reforms it can deliver.
And it follows comments raised at this year’s PharmacyForum about CPE’s influence on funding deals, with National Pharmacy Association chief executive Henry Gregg calling it “a distribution committee” rather than a negotiator.