30 October 2025

Dear colleagues,

This letter sets out the timeline for the Independent Prescribing in Community Pharmacy Pathfinder Programme, including exit planning and actions for integrated care boards (ICBs).

The programme established a framework for future commissioning of NHS community pharmacy clinical services, incorporating independent prescribing for primary care patients. Thanks to the work of regional, system and frontline teams, Pathfinder sites have delivered over 33,000 patient consultations across 164 pharmacy sites, with more than 59% resulting in prescribing interventions that “start, stop or change medicines” that otherwise would have been done by a GP or hospital.

As the programme ends, we will use what we have learnt to look at future clinical services from community pharmacy in line with the 10 Year Health Plan. The ambition is to widen patient access in primary care, ensure medication safety, improve prevention of ill health and integrate pharmacy professionals across neighbourhood health services. We will share these insights with regional and system leaders as our plans for 2026-2027 and beyond take shape, subject to confirmation of Spending Review allocations.

Timelines

The Pathfinder Programme formally concludes on 31 December 2025. NHS England will continue to provide programme support to ICBs who wish to continue activity during the transition period until the end of March 2026.

October to December 2025 (programme ends)

• Pathfinder sites continue data collection, and the national evaluation will be completed.
• ICBs develop local business cases to continue commissioning clinical services that incorporate independent prescribing.
• ICBs to finalise exit plans and prepare for post-pathfinder commissioning.

January to March 2026 (transition to interim phase)

• ICBs can continue to run Pathfinder sites, supported by a payment of £1500 per pathfinder site and access to Cleo Solo.
• ICBs are encouraged to continue Pathfinder sites where possible.

April 2026 onwards (post-Pathfinder)

• Learning from the programme will continue to inform any potential service models where prescribing could be part of national community pharmacy services.
• NHS England will consult with Community Pharmacy England to determine what will form any part of a national service offer.

Actions for ICBs

To ensure a smooth transition, we ask that ICBs (via their independent prescribing pharmacy lead) now:

• agree locally which Pathfinder sites they wish to continue after 31 December 2025, as well as which clinical models will be maintained; active pharmacy sites with patient consultation activity should be prioritised
• consider extending local commissioning arrangements to any existing service arrangements to cover the interim period until 31 March 2026 (where possible)
• prepare for the closure of Pathfinder sites that won’t continue after December 2025, including closing down cost centres, Cleo profiles and deactivating NHS smartcard roles

Next steps

We will publish the national evaluation of the Pathfinder Programme and share other learning developed through focus groups and stakeholder engagement. We will set out a framework for commissioners to support the governance and assurance of prescribing in community pharmacy. We will send out further communications once these outputs have been finalised.

Thanks again for your support in implementing this programme. NHS England will continue to work with regional senior pharmacy integration leads and other stakeholders as the programme ends.

If you have any further queries, please contact Anne Joshua, Deputy Director of Pharmacy Transformation and Commissioning or Wasim Baqir, Head of Pharmacy Integration, at england.pharmacyintegration@nhs.net.

Yours sincerely,

Publication reference: PRN02171