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The Independent Pharmacy Contractors Network (IPCN) has urged Labour to ensure any discussions about a pharmacist prescribing service during 2026-27 contractual talks go hand-in-hand with a promise to improve community pharmacy funding.

Two days after Baroness Merron told parliament last Monday that the Government’s consultation with Community Pharmacy England (CPE), which has started, will explore integrating prescribing into community pharmacy services, the IPCN warned such a move “must be fully funded” to “establish a safe and effective clinical environment”.

Full and transparent scrutiny of proposals and genuine engagement with contractors

It called on the Department of Health and Social Care and CPE to ensure any proposals made during contractual negotiations relating to pharmacist prescribing are transparently scrutinised and there is “genuine engagement with community pharmacy contractors”.

The IPCN made six recommendations which it insisted would be facilitated by improved funding, including “appropriate clinical consultation rooms” to support prescribing services, investment in secure and interoperable IT systems and clinical governance frameworks and prescribing protocols.

The IPCN also called for workforce training and supervision arrangements, indemnity and professional risk management frameworks and administrative and operational support to run prescribing clinics.

“Without these foundations in place,” the IPCN warned, “the safe and sustainable rollout of prescribing services in community pharmacy will not be achievable”.

The IPCN stressed it supported “the principle of expanding the clinical role of community pharmacy” but insisted “there must be no attempt by Government to announce or implement a prescribing service prematurely”.

IPCN spokesperson Mitesh Patel said: “Pharmacist prescribing has the potential to transform access to care for patients across England.

“Community pharmacies are already one of the most accessible parts of the NHS and pharmacists have the clinical expertise to deliver high quality prescribing services.

“However, this must not become another unfunded expansion of responsibility for a sector that is already under immense financial pressure. If Government wants community pharmacy to take on greater clinical roles, the infrastructure, governance and funding must be put in place first.

“Done properly, pharmacist prescribing could be a major step forward for patients and the NHS but it must be implemented safely, sustainably and with genuine investment.”