CPCF clinical services IT requirements

This page explains the IT requirements for clinical services delivered under the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF).

Information about what each service involves is available in the National Pharmacy Services section of this website.

Introduction

For every CPCF clinical service, a dataset is agreed during negotiations before the service launches.

Each dataset sets out:

• The information that must be recorded in the pharmacy clinical record;
• The information that must be shared with a patient’s general practice or other professionals, where appropriate; and
• The information that must be shared with NHS England and the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) to support service evaluation and post‑payment verification.

Sharing this information supports:

• Patient safety and continuity of care
• Consistent, high‑quality service delivery
• Accurate and timely payment for pharmacies

How clinical services data is shared

For most CPCF clinical services, information required by NHS England and NHSBSA is submitted through the NHSBSA Manage Your Service (MYS) portal.

Most pharmacy clinical services IT systems now connect to MYS using an application programming interface (API).

This means:

• Information recorded once in the pharmacy system can be sent automatically to MYS
• Manual re‑entry of data by pharmacy teams is reduced
• Claims and post‑payment checks can be processed more efficiently

The NHSBSA MYS API dataset for CPCF services (FutureNHS login required) escribes the information shared through these APIs. This dataset is mainly intended for IT system suppliers, rather than pharmacy teams.

National data and messaging standards

To support safe and consistent information sharing across the NHS, pharmacy IT systems use nationally agreed standards.

These include:

Community Pharmacy Data Standard (Professional Record Standards Body – PRSB)

• This standard defines what information should be recorded in the pharmacy clinical record
• Sets out what should be shared with a patient’s GP practice for CPCF clinical services

Digital Medicines messaging specification

• Supports the sharing of structured service information with general practice

PRSB Core information standard

• Defines a core set of information that can be shared between IT systems across different care settings
• Supports continuity of care for patients

Using shared standards helps ensure pharmacy systems work effectively with GP systems and the wider NHS.

Development of APIs for CPCF clinical services

NHS England and NHSBSA work with pharmacy clinical services IT system suppliers to assure:

• Individual clinical service IT modules; and
• The associated MYS APIs.

The table below summarises the current position, based on progress reported by IT system suppliers and the NHS.

Progress reported by IT system suppliers

Note: IT suppliers should contact da@cpe.org.uk to report further changes.

Why NHSBSA MYS APIs exist – and why they will continue to be used

Historically, pharmacy teams often had to record the same information multiple times:

• A clinical record for patient care
• A separate record to support public health evaluation
• Another record or claim to ensure the pharmacy was paid

This could mean double or even triple data entry, increasing workload and the risk of inconsistency or error.

NHSBSA MYS APIs were created to address this problem.

By using APIs:

• One clinical record can support patient care, service evaluation and payment
• Pharmacy teams spend less time re‑entering the same information
• Clinical records are more accurate and consistent
• Claims can be submitted and processed more quickly
• National data used to evaluate services and public health impact is more reliable

This approach aligns with wider NHS priorities to reduce unnecessary administrative burden, support paperless working, and make better use of data already captured in clinical systems.

As more CPCF services are introduced and existing services evolve, API‑based data sharing through MYS will remain the preferred national approach.

Technical toolkits for IT system suppliers

Current technical toolkits are held by NHSBSA and NHS England.

IT system suppliers should contact those organisations directly to access the latest specifications.

Previously available toolkits include:

• Legacy CPCS technical toolkit (legacy baseline) – NHSBSA CPCS webpage
• Hypertension case‑finding service draft technical toolkit (PowerPoint)
• Discharge Medicines Service draft technical toolkit (PowerPoint)
• New Medicine Service draft technical toolkit (PowerPoint)
• Pharmacy Contraception Service draft technical toolkit
• Smoking Cessation Service draft technical toolkit (PowerPoint)

These toolkits support consistent implementation of CPCF clinical services across pharmacy systems and the NHS work with updated versions with suppliers.

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For more information on this topic please email it@cpe.org.uk