Community pharmacy independent prescribing

Developing and utilising the clinical skills and capabilities of community pharmacists is part of a wider shift across the health system to improve access to care in local communities and address health inequalities.

Independent prescribing pharmacists have been working in hospitals, general practice, and primary care networks since 2006. Independent prescribing pharmacists help ensure that people have access to safe and high-quality healthcare, address health issues before they get worse, provide monitoring of long-term health conditions, and prevent ill-health.

There are already a small number of independent prescribing pharmacists working in community pharmacy in England but there are currently no clinical services commissioned nationally by NHS England that enable NHS prescriptions to be issued by independent prescribing pharmacists working in community pharmacy.

The Community Pharmacy Independent Prescribing Pathfinder Programme

NHS England and integrated care boards (ICBs) have developed the Community Pharmacy Independent Prescribing Pathfinder Programme to enable a community pharmacist prescriber to support primary care clinical services. This presents a unique opportunity for community pharmacy to integrate with current pathways and play an increasing role in delivering clinical services in primary care.

The scope for pathfinder sites will be determined by ICBs, who will be urged to fully utilise the skills and capabilities of community pharmacists to build on clinical services already commissioned as advanced pharmaceutical services or add into locally commissioned services. ICBs will work with community pharmacy teams, NHS bodies, local authorities, and community organisations involved in delivering joined up care, to deliver the pathfinder programme.

We have written to ICBs setting out next steps for the programme.

For more information contact england.pharmacyintegration@nhs.net