Failure to Open Notifications and Emergency Closures

From 1 June 2026, the Manage Your Service (MYS) will be the only route to notify ICBs of temporary suspensions/closures.

Notifications must be made via the MYS platform from 1 June and manual notifications to ICBs will no longer be permitted (except in the very rare circumstances when the MYS platform is unavailable). The updated approved particulars will be available from 1 June on the NHS England website.

The Terms of Service require NHS community pharmacy owners to have a business continuity plan for temporary suspensions/closures due to illness or other reasons beyond their control and to action the plan when necessary. One of the required actions in the event of a temporary suspension/closure is to notify your ICB.

The MYS portal has been available to notify temporary suspensions/closures since September 2024. It can be updated with one or more temporary suspensions and remains editable for 7 days after submission. The submission can also be deleted if there is no subsequent suspension/closure.

More information on managing unplanned temporary suspensions (including resources to prepare for these) can be found on our temporary suspensions/closures page.