Independent Prescribing (IP) within the CPCF
As part of negotiations on the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) arrangements for 2026/27, it was agreed that prescribing (independent prescribing) will be introduced into the CPCF as an extension of Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS) from the autumn of 2026.
Community pharmacist prescribers will be enabled to:
- Prescribe within the existing Pharmacy First clinical pathways and the PCS.
- Provide up to five new Pharmacy First prescribing-only pathways – options to be considered include bacterial conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis, oral thrush, skin infections and respiratory tract infections. In advance of their rollout, the new pathways will need to be approved by a clinical reference group. These consultations will count towards the monthly clinical pathways minimum activity requirement.
- Prescribe an alternative item where there is a need to meet the needs of an individual patient, e.g. where there is a supply chain issue relating to the original prescription, and there are arrangements in place with the original prescriber to allow such an approach.
Please click here to visit CPE for more info on the following:
- Funding
- Guidance Documents
- Clinical governance requirements for prescribing
- Amendments to the Terms of Service related to prescribing
- IT arrangements
- The sign-up process for pharmacy owners
- Frequently asked questions
- Further information
Local Comms update Sept 2026:
In case you missed the media release. The DHSC and NHS England have formally announced the final choice of the five new prescribing clinical pathways which will be added to the Pharmacy First service this autumn. They are:
- Acute otitis externa – for adults aged 18 years and over
- Seasonal allergic rhinitis – for children aged 4-11 years
- Mild to moderate acne – for young people
- Migraine – low frequency, episodic, adults aged 18-64 years
- Mild skin and soft tissue infections and scabies
Many pharmacy owners will already be aware of this final list of pathways, as last month NHS England asked ICBs to communicate information to pharmacy owners about the new pathways and the wider introduction of prescribing into the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF), this also included an indicative readiness EoI form with a deadline for completion of the 4th of September.
Pharmacies are reminded that:
CPE are not persuaded that sufficient investment is being made to enable the full and effective introduction of prescribing, given the workload, enhanced clinical responsibility, clinical governance and infrastructure requirements that it will entail.
It will be down to pharmacy owners, cognisant of the full operational and governance requirements that will apply to the introduction of prescribing into the CPCF, to decide on an individual basis whether it makes commercial sense for their business or whether they will instead prioritise the use of IP skills elsewhere in their business.
