The week in Parliament – w/c 31st March and 7th April

Welcome back to the APPG on Pharmacy Parliamentary update covering w/c 31st March and 7th April. A busy few weeks across the Pharmacy sector, with the announcement of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) arrangements for 2024/25 and 2025/26 as well as several written contributions from members. Set out below is a summary of key parliamentary and policy developments in community pharmacy from the weeks gone.

Key announcements

Funding deal agreed between Government and Community Pharmacy England

The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) for 2024/25 and 2025/26 has been announced, marking a significant development for the sector in England. 

The agreement, reached between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England, and Community Pharmacy England (CPE), includes a funding increase of 19.7% to £3.073 billion for 2025/26. Key aspects of the framework include expanded clinical services, such as the New Medicine Service (NMS) for depression and a national emergency contraception service, alongside continued support for the Pharmacy First scheme to improve access to primary care.

Additionally, £193 million of historic overpayments have been written off, providing financial relief to struggling pharmacies. These measures aim to stabilise medicine supply and enhance the role of community pharmacies in delivering NHS services.

The CPCF builds upon previous agreements that positioned community pharmacies as integral components of NHS primary care networks. It guarantees annual funding of £2.592 billion and introduces additional investments, including £215 million for services like blood pressure monitoring and contraception under Pharmacy First.

The medicines margin has been increased to £900 million, and the single activity fee has risen by 19p from April 2025. These changes reflect the government’s ambition to shift healthcare delivery into communities while addressing inflationary pressures and rising operational costs faced by pharmacies. By securing these advancements, the framework aims to ensure the sustainability of community pharmacies as vital healthcare hubs within local communities.

Further details can be found here: Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework: 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK

Minister of State for Care, Stepehen Kinnock, statement here.

Key Parliamentary Activity

Oral Contributions

No relevant contributions

Written Questions:

There were 32 written questions relating to Pharmacy answered in the House of Commons  and House of Lords over the past  two weeks. These can all be viewed on Hansard here.

Key questions include: