1. Introduction
1.1 The consistent and safe expansion of community pharmacy clinical services which incorporate prescribing (also referred to as prescribing-based services) is a key enabler for achieving more integrated, accessible, and sustainable primary care for patients.
1.2 The number of independent prescribers within the community pharmacy workforce is growing, as reported by the annual workforce survey, and adding to this, newly qualified pharmacists will be independent prescribers upon registration from the summer of 2026. This presents an opportunity to embed prescribing into routine community pharmacy practice and support national priorities in easing pressure on general practice, enhancing patient access to timely care, and making the best use of the clinical skills and accessibility of the pharmacy workforce in local communities.
1.3 The medium term planning framework – delivering change together 2026/27 to 2028/29 sets out the requirement for integrated care boards (ICBs) to introduce prescribing-based services into community pharmacies during 2026/27. This commissioning guidance has been designed to support ICBs to deliver this objective, and sets out the steps necessary to plan, develop and implement safe and effective community pharmacy prescribing-based services. It builds on the learning from the community pharmacy independent prescribing pathfinder programme that ran from January 2023 to December 2025, and is aligned with the national strategic ambitions set out in the 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future, the independent investigation of the NHS in England report and the next steps for integrating primary care: Fuller stocktake report, all of which emphasise the need to better utilise the broader health and care workforce.
1.4 The independent evaluation of the pathfinder programme confirmed that patients and pharmacists highly value community pharmacy prescribing-based services and, through effective clinical leadership, commissioning and governance, prescribing in community pharmacy can be embedded in a local neighbourhood health approach by working closely with general practice.
1.5 This document sets out the important role that ICBs have in supporting the national uptake and effectiveness of pharmacy led services, the principles underpinning the ICB commissioning of community pharmacy clinical services to meet local need, and the steps necessary to ensure prescribing is safely embedded within local and national services.
2. National services
ICB responsibilities for services commissioned under the national Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework
2.1 ICBs are responsible for the assurance and oversight of nationally agreed clinical services delivered through the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF).
2.2 The CPCF enables the commissioning of advanced services that a pharmacy contractor on the NHS pharmaceutical list can choose to provide (usually through a registration process).
2.3 The pharmacy manual sets out the relevant regulations, policies, and procedures to support commissioning and contract management of national community pharmacy services, which may include prescribing.
2.4 Regional NHS England teams provide strategic leadership, performance assessment, and oversight of their regional health system, working to ensure that the NHS organisations within their geography are high performing, sustainable and delivering reform in line with the requirements of the 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future.
3. Guidance for ICB commissioning of community pharmacy prescribing based services
General principles
3.1 The strategic commissioning framework sets out the approach for ICBs to effectively deliver strategic commissioning of NHS services. The framework covers all NHS commissioned services and is deigned to be used by ICBs to take a continuous evidence-based process to plan, purchase, monitor and evaluate services, including prescribing-based services commissioned from a pharmacy contractor.
3.2 As part of the planning process, ICBs could consider how community pharmacy prescribing-based services support the delivery of modern service frameworks, such as cardiovascular disease, which aligns with the ambitions of the 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future for community pharmacy to take a bigger role in prevention and management of long-term conditions.
3.3 ICBs should have a formal agreement and a clearly defined service specification in place with pharmacy contractors when commissioning a service. It is expected that ICBs will consult and collaborate with the Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) to develop the formal agreement and service specification.
3.4 A service level agreement (SLA) may be used where a service is being commissioned as an enhanced service in line with the pharmaceutical services (advanced and enhanced services) (England) directions 2013 (for example, an Independent Prescribing Service).* ICBs may consider alternative contracting methods based on local agreement, for example, the NHS standard contract.
*A service that is not listed in Direction 14 of the pharmaceutical services (advanced and enhanced services) (England) directions 2013 cannot be commissioned as an enhanced service and is to be commissioned using the NHS Standard Contract.
3.5 ICBs should have a clear process that defines how a pharmacy contractor will be remunerated for any eligible activity undertaken as part of a service. The process to submit, review, approve, transact, and monitor claims for a service should be clearly documented as part of the ICB’s governance process and included in the formal agreement and service specification in place with a pharmacy contractor.
3.6 The pharmacy manual provides further guidance on the commissioning of enhanced services, including the minimum requirements for service specifications and SLAs, commissioning services in line with the pharmaceutical needs assessments, and the processes for reviewing and decommissioning of enhanced services.
3.7 ICBs should consider the NHS provider selection regime when commissioning a service from pharmacy contractors to determine the appropriate provider selection processes that need to be followed when awarding contracts for healthcare services.
3.8 The health inequalities and equality legal duties reference document for NHS commissioners and providers sets out how NHS commissioners and providers meet their legal duties in respect of equality and health inequalities. ICBs should formally document equality and health inequality analyses and/or impact assessments when commissioning services from a community pharmacy contractor to enable compliance with the legal duties.
3.9 To meet the information and communication support needs of patients, service users and carers, ICBs can use the accessible information standard and improvement framework: community language translation and interpreting services.
Local authorised payments for prescribing-based services
3.10 Local authorised payments for a prescribing-based service commissioned as an enhanced service are made via the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) using the local payments application process. ICBs must contact the NHSBSA to organise any local pharmacy payments.
3.11 Each prescribing-based service must be assigned a local payment application (LPA) code. The LPA code is a nationally agreed code for enhanced services that ICBs and the NHSBSA can use to assist with reconciling the schedule of payments made to a pharmacy contractor.*
*ICBs may commission other services that are not considered enhanced services (as set out in Direction 14 of the pharmaceutical services (advanced and enhanced services) (England) directions 2013) but alternative payment arrangements should be made (such as, invoice payment) as an LPA code cannot be issued for them.
3.12 A list of existing LPA codes can be found via the NHSBSA local authorised payments national menu. In order to use an existing LPA code or set-up a new LPA code, ICBs must request this via the NHSBSA (contractorpayments@nhsbsa.nhs.uk).
3.13 The pharmacy manual provides further guidance on the local payments application process.
4. Service design and implementation
Service and clinical pathway
4.1 ICBs should develop a clearly defined service and clinical pathway before commissioning a prescribing-based service and consider how the service will integrate into existing and new care pathways. The service and clinical pathway should be informed by the best available evidence and clinical guidelines to ensure that the prescribing-based service achieves optimal patient outcomes.
4.2 The service and clinical pathway should outline the expected service to be delivered and how it should be delivered. The service and clinical pathway should describe (as a minimum) the:
- clinical conditions to be managed
- inclusion and exclusion criteria
- consultation model (face to face and/or remote consultations)*
- prescribing protocol and formulary
- escalation and referral pathways (into and out of the service)
- patient consent process
- communication back to the patient’s primary healthcare provider
- documentation and record-keeping arrangements
- access to diagnostic investigations and pathology services (where required)
- training and competency requirements
- governance and audit arrangements
* Distance selling pharmacies (DSP) can only provide an independent prescribing service as an advanced or enhanced service remotely from the pharmacy’s listed premises. Face-to-face delivery away from the pharmacy’s listed premises can be undertaken if it is permitted in the service specification and following ICB approval.
4.3 Clinical pathways should be person-centred and co-developed with appropriate local, regional, and national stakeholders (such as, subject matter experts, LPCs), and include patient and public involvement, to consider interdependencies, reduce duplication and support continuity of care.
4.4 Service and clinical pathway examples for services can be found via the NHS pharmacy first service and NHS pharmacy contraception service.
Risk assessments
4.5 ICBs should require a pharmacy contractor to complete a risk assessment specific to the prescribing-based service and implement controls to mitigate any identified risks. This should require the pharmacy contractor to (as a minimum):
- identify and mitigate the risks associated with delivery of the prescribing-based service which may include, but are not limited to, clinical, digital, and operational risks
- consider how prescribing and dispensing by the same healthcare professional, when this is necessary in the best interests of the patient, will be managed to maintain patient safety
- have safeguards in place for managing high-risk patients, complex clinical presentations and vulnerable individuals and minors
- evaluate how the integration of prescribing and dispensing functions may impact clinical objectivity or patient choice due to commercial incentives and conflicts of interest
- ensure plans are in place to support continuity of service delivery if the regular independent prescriber is absent or the service cannot be delivered
- develop standard operating procedures to support the safe and consistent delivery of services
Remuneration for prescribing activity
4.6 ICBs should consider remuneration arrangements for eligible activity undertaken as part of a prescribing-based service that are most appropriate for the type of service commissioned and ensure that this aligns to the achievement of the health system’s goals. This should cover any relevant set-up costs and ongoing costs required to deliver a prescribing-based service.*
*Reimbursement for drugs and appliances that have been dispensed against a valid NHS prescription and remuneration for any relevant professional fees (including, dispensing fees) will be paid in line with the costs and requirements of the drug tariff.
4.7 Remuneration arrangements should be designed to reward high-quality clinical decision-making and positive patient outcomes, rather than the volume of prescriptions generated, to ensure clinical objectivity is maintained and to avoid incentivising overprescribing.
4.8 ICBs should ensure that any agreed remuneration arrangements does not duplicate existing payment arrangements in place, such as nationally agreed prescribing infrastructure fees or service fees, and there is a clear distinction between activities or outcomes that are eligible for remuneration and those that are not.
Prescribed items costs
4.9 When commissioning a prescribing-based service from pharmacy contractors, ICBs will need to work with pharmacy contractors to set-up an EPS prescribing cost centre for each pharmacy contractor and assign individual independent prescribers (using their unique professional registration number) to the cost centre via the relevant NHSBSA process.* This will enable ICBs to maintain oversight of prescribing undertaken as part of a prescribing-based service (via NHSBSA ePACT2).
*NHS England and the NHSBSA are validating the potential to use the pharmacy contractor organisation data service (ODS) code as a solution to assign prescribed items costs to a pharmacy contractor. In the interim, the NHSBSA will make cost centres available to ICBs who plan to commission prescribing-based services from a pharmacy contractor.
4.10 By setting up a cost centre for each pharmacy contractor, all prescribed items costs can be attributed to a specific pharmacy contractor, independent prescriber and associated ICB prescribing budget. A cost centre also needs to be established prior to enabling the use of the Electronic Prescription Service for a pharmacy contractor.
4.11 ICBs should have a process in place to add, remove, and update pharmacy contractor and independent prescriber details as required in a timely manner.
4.12 For neighbourhood health service models, ICBs will need to consider how prescribed items costs are best attributed to maintain oversight of prescribing undertaken as part of a prescribing-based service.
5. Governance and assurance
5.1 ICBs should ensure that the governance and assurance process for oversight and continuous improvement of the quality and safety of community pharmacy prescribing-based services is clearly defined. ICBs may integrate the governance and assurance process for community pharmacy prescribing-based services into existing processes for prescribing in primary care (for example, general practice).
5.2 ICBs should work with pharmacy contractors and LPCs to clearly define and agree the respective accountabilities and responsibilities for the governance and assurance of a prescribing-based service, to ensure that the ICB and pharmacy contractors have systems in place to monitor the effectiveness, quality, and safety of a prescribing-based service. For example, ICBs can consider extending the arrangements in place for nationally agreed prescribing-based services to locally commissioned prescribing-based services.
5.3 This section sets out the best practice governance and assurance domains for ICBs to consider when commissioning prescribing-based services from a pharmacy contractor and builds on the learning from the community pharmacy independent prescribing pathfinder programme.
Independent prescribing pharmacist professional assurance
5.4 ICBs should have a consistent and robust process in place to maintain oversight of all prescribing pharmacists within their system. This can be undertaken in collaboration with pharmacy contractors.
5.5 ICBs should refer to the NHS England professional assurance framework for delivering NHS community pharmacy clinical services to support the professional assurance of prescribing pharmacists.
5.6 ICBs should consider how they work with pharmacy contractors to facilitate access to professional support and peer networks within local neighbourhood health multidisciplinary networks, to ensure prescribing pharmacists are consistently working to safe and effective standards, providing high quality care and demonstrating the required professional behaviours.
Indemnity
5.7 ICBs must require a pharmacy contractor who provides a prescribing-based service to hold appropriate indemnity arrangements for the provision of the prescribing-based service by independent prescribers. The pharmacy contractor must also ensure that all independent prescribers delivering a prescribing-based service hold appropriate professional indemnity arrangements for activity related to the prescribing-based service.
5.8 Up to date records of indemnity arrangements must be maintained by a pharmacy contractor and be available for the ICB to review as part of the ICB governance and assurance process.
Quality assurance and patient safety
Prescribing oversight and audit
5.9 ICBs should ensure that a process is in place to regularly collect, monitor and review clinical service activity and prescribing activity (for example, NHSBSA ePACT2 data, pharmacy contractor recorded information) via the ICB and/or pharmacy contractor. This should consider the following (as a minimum):
- patient demographics (for example, age, gender, ethnicity, index of multiple deprivation)
- scope of practice (for example, prescribing remains within the prescriber’s declared scope of practice)alignment with local and/or national formularies and guidance (for example, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)
- prescribing metrics (for example, high-risk medicines, antibiotic prescribing rate, controlled drugs, generic prescribing)prescription volume and cost
- patient outcomes for example, clinical outcomes, patient experience)referral rates to other services (for example, general practice, urgent care)
5.10 ICBs should ensure a process is in place for a pharmacy contractor to systematically review the quality, safety and effectiveness of a prescribing-based service through regular audit (such as, quality improvement audits, prescribing audits). This will help identify areas for improvement, ensure safe delivery of prescribing, including effective consultations and effective use of medicines, and inform future service design.
Patient safety and incident reporting
5.11 ICBs should refer to the NHS patient safety strategy and primary care patient safety strategy to embed processes to continuously improve patient safety for a prescribing-based service.
5.12 ICBs should have a process in place to identify, record, and act on:
- prescribing errors
- clinical incidents and/or near misses
- patient safety concerns
- whistleblowing concerns
5.13 The pharmacy contractor must have an incident reporting system complying with the incident reporting system approved particulars relating to the national health service (pharmaceutical and local pharmaceutical services) regulations 2013 (as amended).
5.14 The pharmacy contractor should record any events that meet the national definition of a patient safety incident via the learn from patient safety events (LFPSE) service. The prompt code ‘COIN1’ should be used when recording incidents relating to NHS commissioned prescribing-based services.
5.15 ICBs and pharmacy contractors may consider adopting the patient safety incident response framework to support learning and continuous improvement in patient safety. This is not a mandatory requirement at this stage, unless services are provided under the NHS standard contract.
5.16 The Royal College of Pharmacy patient safety professional standards – responding to patient safety incidents provides a broad framework to support the continued improvement of services, shape future services and roles, and deliver high-quality care across all settings and sectors and may be used by ICBs and pharmacy contractors.
Premises and equipment
Premises standards
5.17 ICBs must require a pharmacy contractor delivering a prescribing-based service to:
- meet the GPhC standards for registered pharmacies and premises approved particulars relating to the national health service (pharmaceutical and local pharmaceutical services) regulations 2013 (as amended)
- ensure that the premises meets the appropriate standards for safe and effective delivery of the prescribing-based service
Equipment and resources
5.18 ICBs should specify the equipment (for example, diagnostic tools), materials and guidelines needed by a pharmacy contractor to deliver the prescribing-based service.
5.19 The pharmacy contractor is responsible for the procurement and maintenance of any equipment needed to deliver the prescribing-based service.
5.20 For further information, ICBs and pharmacy contractors should refer to the GPhC standards for registered pharmacies, terms of service of NHS pharmacists, and MHRA managing medical devices guidance.
Safeguarding and consent
Safeguarding
5.21 ICBs should require a pharmacy contractor to ensure that all independent prescribing pharmacists delivering a prescribing-based service have up to date training in safeguarding adults and children (minimum Level 3).
Informed consent and patient communication
5.22 ICBs should require a pharmacy contractor delivering a prescribing-based service to ensure that patients are:
- fully informed about the nature of the prescribing consultation and their treatment options
- advised on any information sharing that will take place and the purpose
- given the opportunity to ask questions
Information governance
5.23 ICBs should seek support from their Information Governance team regarding the commissioning and procurement of a prescribing-based service from a pharmacy contractor. This includes ensuring appropriate data protection and records management provisions are incorporated into all relevant agreements and contracts for a prescribing-based service.
5.24 The pharmacy contractor commissioned to deliver a prescribing-based service must have achieved a minimum of ‘Standards Met’ in the most recent data security and protection toolkit submission.
5.25 The data controller for the personal data processed as part of a prescribing-based service is responsible and accountable for the personal data processed in the delivery of the service.
6. Digital requirements
6.1 ICBs should consider the digital clinical safety and information technology (IT) requirements for the safe and effective delivery of a prescribing-based service in the community pharmacy setting.
6.2 ICBs should ensure a pharmacy contractor complies with the necessary digital and IT requirements listed in this section prior to delivery of a prescribing-based service.
Digital clinical safety standards
6.3 Digital clinical safety is an important aspect of implementing the use of IT solutions (such as, software) in NHS services and ensures that patients are kept safe.
6.4 To ensure that IT solutions used in the delivery of NHS services are clinically safe, organisations must undertake clinical risk management to identify the potential hazards, risks, and mitigations to minimise the harm to patients.
6.5 Two clinical risk management standards are established in regulations through the Health and Social Care Act 2012 relating to clinical safety and it is mandatory for all organisations (NHS, those with whom it commissions services and its IT solution suppliers) to comply with these standards. The standards explain how NHS organisations (including those with whom it commissions services) and suppliers manage clinical risk to improve the clinical safety of digital solutions and are described below:
- DCB0129 is for supplier organisations who provide IT solutions
- DCB0160 is for provider organisations that deploy, implement, and use IT solutions
6.6 ICBs should be assured that a pharmacy contractor deploying, implementing and using an IT solution for the delivery of a prescribing-based service (such as, prescribing solution, consultation records management solution) is compliant with the two Health and Social Care Act 2012 clinical risk management standards, DCB0129 and DCB0160.
6.7 The pharmacy contractor is responsible for complying with DCB0160 as the organisation deploying, implementing, and using an IT solution for the delivery of a prescribing-based service. The pharmacy contractor should obtain and review the supplier’s DCB0129 documentation (including hazard log and clinical safety case report) to ensure that the IT solution and the supplier are compliant. The DCB0129 documentation also informs the pharmacy contractor of the hazards the supplier has already mitigated and what risks remain. This will help the pharmacy contractor to identify and mitigate any new or specific risks that arise from deployment, implementation, and use of an IT solution.
Electronic Prescription Service
6.8 The electronic prescription service (EPS) allows prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to a dispenser nominated by the patient (such as, a pharmacy).
6.9 ICBs must require a pharmacy contractor to use electronic prescriptions for any prescribing undertaken as part of a prescribing-based service by default. The pharmacy contractor can use paper prescriptions by exception where a clinical need is identified or for business continuity purposes. This ensures that:
- prescribers and dispensers can process prescriptions in a more efficient, safe and secure manner
- prescriptions are sent directly to the patient’s nominated dispenser or dispenser of their choice
- patients can track the status of their prescription via the NHS App
6.10 Pharmacy contractors must use a NHS assured and approved EPS prescribing solution. The pharmacy contractor is responsible for procuring and financing the EPS system.
6.11 ICBs should confirm the prescriber linkage to the cost centre for each pharmacy contractor, EPS enablement and ensure NHSBSA ePACT2 reporting is activated before delivering a prescribing-based service.
6.12 ICBs should be assured that a pharmacy contractor has robust business continuity and escalation plans in place in the event that prescriptions cannot be issued via EPS, or where there is any disruption to the EPS prescribing system. For example, this may include access to paper prescriptions and/or referral of patients to another healthcare provider if the pharmacy is unable to issue prescriptions via EPS.
Consultation records
6.13 Consultation records are electronic records of a patient consultation and associated health information and must be managed in line with the records management code of practice for health and social care.
6.14 ICBs should require a pharmacy contractor to maintain a record of all prescribing consultations undertaken as part of a prescribing-based service using a digital consultation records platform. The digital consultation record keeping platform should enable:
- structured and secure capture of clinical data
- appropriate role-based access controls
- consistency in documentation for clinical safety and audit purposes
6.15 The pharmacy contractor is responsible for procuring and financing a digital consultation records platform. The community pharmacy information standard (DAPB4008) is available to support pharmacy contractors to consistently record information.
6.16 ICBs should be assured that a pharmacy contractor has robust business continuity and escalation plans in place to manage a disruption to the digital consultation records platform.
Access to patient clinical information
6.17 ICBs should be assured that independent prescribers delivering a prescribing-based service have appropriate levels of access to patient clinical information commensurate to the scope and requirements of the prescribing-based service. This includes (and is not limited to):
- medical history
- medication history
- diagnoses, allergies and test results
- recent general practice and hospital consultations
6.18 Independent prescribers can access the national care records service, GP connect access record, local health and care records, or other ICB approved shared care records to obtain patient clinical information.
6.19 The pharmacy contractor is responsible for ensuring that independent prescribers delivering a prescribing-based service have the appropriate levels of access to patient clinical information commensurate to the prescribing-based service and any required data sharing agreements are in place.
6.20 ICBs should be assured that a pharmacy contractor has robust business continuity and escalation plans in place to manage any disruption in access to the relevant patient information required for the safe and effective delivery of the prescribing-based service.
Sharing consultation information with the primary healthcare provider
6.21 Unless determined as part of a nationally agreed service, ICBs should engage with relevant stakeholders to agree and document the arrangements by which a pharmacy contractor shares consultation outcomes with a patient’s primary healthcare provider in order to ensure:
- continuity of care
- avoidance of duplication or prescribing conflicts
- compliance with professional record keeping standards
6.22 ICBs should require a pharmacy contractor to share consultation information via secure messaging (NHS.net connect or other secure digital process) with the patient’s primary healthcare provider (for example, dedicated GP email for pharmacy communications) on the day of service provision, or on the following day as a minimum.
6.23 ICBs should require a pharmacy contractor to ensure that consultation outcomes and prescribing decisions (including decisions to not prescribe or deprescribe) are shared with the patient’s primary healthcare provider (such as, general practice) in line with the required format, content and timeframes agreed by the ICB for a prescribing-based service.
6.24 ICBs should consider how consultations will be managed in circumstances where a patient does not provide consent for information to be shared with their primary healthcare provider or is not registered with a primary healthcare provider.
Independent prescribing pharmacist authentication
Readiness checklist
6.25 Independent prescribing pharmacists delivering a prescribing-based service must have a care identity with an appropriate authenticator (CIS2 authentication and AAL3) and the required access rights to undertake prescribing to ensure that the correct role-based access control (RBAC) is in place for the use of EPS.
6.26 ICBs and the pharmacy contractor must first confirm that an independent prescribing pharmacist is professionally registered as an independent prescriber with the appropriate annotation in the GPhC registers and has received the relevant approval via the ICB’s governance and assurance process. ICBs and the pharmacy contractor must then ensure that the independent prescribing pharmacist is only granted the RBAC‑compliant independent prescribing access appropriate to their role, via the care identity service.
6.27 ICBs and pharmacy contractors must agree a process to remove independent prescribing role access from an independent prescribing pharmacist’s care identity in a timely manner, where a prescriber ceases to deliver NHS prescribing-based services.
7. Workforce, training and education
7.1 ICBs should determine the pharmacy workforce needs and consider the required training and clinical support needed for independent prescribing pharmacists and the wider community pharmacy team when commissioning prescribing-based services from pharmacy contractors.
7.2 The GPhC standards for initial education and training for pharmacists, integrated independent prescribing into the undergraduate pharmacist curriculum, meaning that from the summer of 2026, the majority of pharmacists joining the register are independent prescribers at the point of registration. In addition, the number of independent prescribers within the existing pharmacy profession is growing. ICBs should consider the growing number of independent prescribing pharmacists from the summer of 2026 when planning and designing future prescribing-based services.
7.3 The expanding role of pharmacy technicians should be considered by ICBs when commissioning prescribing-based services. Pharmacy technicians are well placed to support the delivery of effective and efficient prescribing-based services by supporting clinical pathways, delivering services using Patient Group Directions (PGDs), and releasing pharmacist capacity for prescribing activities.
7.4 NHS England has commissioned the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) to deliver a large portfolio of training and education resources to support pharmacy workforce development. ICBs and pharmacy contractors are encouraged to review the training and education resources offered by CPPE.
8. Resources
8.1 To support the commissioning of community pharmacy prescribing-based services, a range of resources are included with this commissioning guidance. The resources section provides additional resources to those already included within the commissioning guidance.
Readiness checklist
8.2 The following readiness checklist is available as an optional template to support ICBs when commissioning and implementing a prescribing-based service. The template can be adapted by ICBs as needed.
Service level agreement and service specification
8.3 The following service level agreement and service specification template is available to ICBs to commission a prescribing-based service from pharmacy contractors as an enhanced service. This template is a guide and can be updated to reflect the specific requirements of a prescribing-based service. ICBs can choose to use alternative commissioning and contracting methods.
NHS Business Services Authority cost centres
8.4 The following guidance is available to ICBs and pharmacy contractors to set-up EPS prescribing cost centres for pharmacy contractors delivering a prescribing-based service.
Risk assessment
8.5 The following risk assessment template is available to ICBs and pharmacy contractors to identify, manage, and minimise risks associated with the delivery of a prescribing-based service. ICBs and pharmacy contractors can use alternative methods to undertake a risk assessment.
Infection prevention and control
8.6 The following manual is available to ICBs and pharmacy contractors to support infection prevention and control where relevant to prescribing-based services.
Incident recording
8.7 The following guidance is available to ICBs and pharmacy contractors to record patient safety incidents related to the delivery of a prescribing-based service. This should be used by the pharmacy contractor alongside other incident recording processes.
Clinical supervision
8.8 The following guidance on supervision is available for primary care network multidisciplinary teams and can be used by ICBs and pharmacy contractors as a guide to implementing clinical supervision* for independent prescribing pharmacists working in community pharmacy.
*Clinical/professional supervision can be defined as regular support from a named senior/experienced clinician/practitioner to promote high clinical standards and develop professional expertise.
Guidance for prescribing pharmacists
8.9 The following guidance is available to support independent prescribing pharmacists.
- GPhC – standards for pharmacy professionals
- GPhC – prescribing (in practice: guidance for pharmacist prescribers)
- GPhC – strategic approach to scope of practice
- GPhC – advice for newly qualified prescribing pharmacists
- CPPE – extending the scope of your prescribing practice programme
- CPPE – return to prescribing
- Royal College of Pharmacy – designated prescribing practitioner competency framework
Remote consultations
8.10 The following guidance is available to ICBs and pharmacy contractors to deliver remote consultations.
- NHS England – remote and video consultations: guidance for community pharmacy teams
- GPhC – providing services online
Evaluating digital health technology
8.11 The following guidance is available to ICBs and pharmacy contractors to evaluate digital health technologies to ensure that they meet clinical safety, data protection, technical security, interoperability and usability, accessibility, and evidence standards.
- NHS England – digital technology assessment criteria (DTAC)
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – evidence standards framework for digital health technologies
Smartcard roles-based access controls
8.12 The following guidance is available to ICBs and pharmacy contractors to ensure that independent prescribers have the appropriate role-based access controls attributed to their smartcard to allow them to use EPS and apply an electronic digital signature to prescriptions.
Digital Primary Care: The Good Practice Guidelines for GP electronic patient records – (GPGv5)
8.13 Whilst not a primary resource for pharmacy contractors, the following guidance may be a useful resource for ICBs when commissioning a prescribing-based service from pharmacy contractors.
Workforce, training, and education
8.14 The following resources are available to ICBs and pharmacy contractors to consider the workforce, training, and education for prescribing-based services.
- Initial education and training of pharmacists reforms programme
- CPPE prescribing – curated learning material that includes topics such as preparing to become a prescriber, patient assessment, evidence-based treatment options, safe and professional prescribing and improving prescriber confidence and capability
- Training offers for pharmacy technicians (NHS England and CPPE)
- SCRIPT – an e-learning programme to improve safety and competency among healthcare professionals around prescribing, therapeutics, and medicines management
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – clinical knowledge summaries – provides primary care practitioners with a readily accessible summary of the current evidence base and practical advice on best practice
- Support for developing the education supervision skills that are needed for taking on the role of a designated prescribing practitioners (DPPs); supervision course and information for educational supervisors
- Support for developing the knowledge on methodologies and principles of supervision can be found via the introduction to core supervision training.
Publication reference: PRN02380i