Some have welcomed it, some have expressed sadness, and others have demanded urgent talks with the new health secretary James Murray.
As reactions pour in, Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists Association, welcomed the news with a note of caution.
He said the funding deal “recognises the longstanding and significant economic challenges facing the sector.”
But he went on to say the sector “needs year-on-year above inflation increases in funding.
Read more: Funding deal for 2026/27 announced
“Independent prescribing is a generational opportunity to expand the care that pharmacies can provide to patients. However, unlocking the full potential of independent prescribing will require continued ambition, collaboration, and investment.
“Community pharmacy stands ready to do more but only if the network is underpinned by sustainable funding.”
Sword of Damocles
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) was less welcoming of the news. It demanded urgent talks with the health secretary rather than the pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock, and described the contract as “broken beyond repair and not fit for purpose”.
It also said it has launched a poll of its members to determine the impact of the funding deal, though it stopped short of mentioning collective action.
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“Ambitions for expanded patient services must be matched by sustained funding,” said NPA chair Olivier Picard.
“Independent prescribing enables pharmacists to deliver accessible, high-quality care to patients on their doorsteps. It’s a common sense move.
“However it is nowhere near ambitious enough to transform patient access to care.
IP
He said currently, IP funding levels mean “many pharmacies will struggle to take this development forwards, risking its success. Pharmacies cannot sustain yet more loss-making work.
“Pharmacies have been shutting in record numbers and many others have been propped up by pension savings and remortgaged homes.
“Our members have been telling us time and again that they need immediate relief from rising costs to support their pharmacies today without the threat of NHS clawbacks hanging over their business like the sword of Damocles.
“The new health secretary should meet us urgently.”
Blunt
Independent Pharmacies Association chief exec Leyla Hannbeck said: “Sadly, the extra funding announced is nowhere near enough to end the financial crisis in the pharmacy sector which has already seen thousands of branches close over recent years.
“Put bluntly, today’s deal will see more pharmacies close, and more communities denied access to the front door of the NHS.
Read more: What the CPE committee said after the deal: ‘Trust does run out...’
“The funding package falls significantly short of what is required to protect pharmacies and patients. It is unsustainable for community pharmacies. Many will no longer be able to effectively subsidise the NHS and will be faced with no alternative but to close.
“The Neighbourhood Health Service will fail if the front door to the NHS slams shut on the communities that need it most.”
Don’t stop
Royal College of Pharmacy director for England, Amandeep Doll, had warm words for the IP mission, but also warned without adequate support there was a risk patient access to IP could become a postcode lottery.
“Progress must not stop here,” she said.
“The government must continue to build on today’s settlement and ensure that the new generation of pharmacist prescribers can fully use their skills to support patients across care settings.
“Success will depend on sufficient investment in training and capacity, protected time for professional development and system leadership, and strong clinical governance to ensure high standards of care.
“It’s also vital that community pharmacies are fully integrated within local health systems and neighbourhood teams to ensure a multidisciplinary approach to patient care.
“Sustained investment, careful implementation of prescribing, and engagement with the workforce are essential to the long-term future of community pharmacy services.”
