Contract changes: Summary of regulatory changes
Friday 4th April 2025
On Monday 31st March 2025, the details of the contractual settlement for 2025/26 were announced, which included several changes to regulations.
This news story summarises key information on regulatory changes that has been released since the announcement of the settlement.
| Regulatory changes | Likely to be in force/effective from | How | Comment |
| DSPs – will only be able to deliver Advanced and Enhanced services remotely, similar to the delivery of Essential services. | October 2025, approximately 6 months after the change is announced. | NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services (PLPS) Regulations 2013 | Where a service specification allows remote consultations or off-site provision of a service, that will still be possible for all pharmacies, including DSPs. Learn more: DSP regulatory FAQs |
| Core Opening Hours – the regulatory test to rearrange (not reduce) core opening hours will be amended. The amendments will give pharmacy owners more scope (to apply) to change their opening hours to dates and times that better meet the needs of their patients and likely users of the pharmacy. | Date to be confirmed. | PLPS Regulations | DHSC is doing what it can to bring in this regulatory amendment as soon as practically possible. The Pharmacy Manual will clarify that the pharmacy owner’s evidence of the economic viability of their current opening hours should be considered alongside evidence of patient demand for the pharmacy’s services. Learn more: Core opening hours information |
| NMS subcontracting – clarify that NMS may not be subcontracted to another provider. | Date to be confirmed. | Service Directions | DHSC is doing what it can to bring in this regulatory amendment as soon as practically possible. Learn more: NMS regulatory FAQs |
| Practice leaflets – remove the requirement for practice leaflets. | Date to be confirmed. | PLPS Regulations | As soon as practicable. |
| References for staff – remove the requirement to seek employment references for staff involved in NHS services. | Date to be confirmed. | PLPS Regulations | As soon as practicable. |
| Signing paid prescriptions – remove the need for people who pay prescription charges to sign the FP10 or EPS token. | Date to be confirmed. | PLPS Regulations and/or other legislation | As soon as practicable. |
| Audits – for 2025/26, we have also agreed that there will not be a clinical audit requirement (nationally chosen audit or pharmacy owner-selected audit). | Immediately. | N/A | N/A |
| Health campaigns – for 2025/26, there will be a maximum of two national health campaigns, and two Integrated Care Board (ICB) selected campaigns will be required. | Immediately. | N/A | N/A |
| NHS website and DoS profiles – Community Pharmacy England will work with NHS England to improve systems to ensure pharmacy profiles are comprehensive and accurate. | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Friday 4th April 2025
