DSP market entry to close plus core opening hours and other regulatory changes
Important regulatory changes to the community pharmacy sector – including those on distance selling premises (DSP) pharmacies and core opening hours – have been laid before Parliament today (2 June 2025) and will come into force in 21 days, on 23 June 2025.
The amendment regulations make changes to the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 (the PLPS regulations) agreed in the recent 2024/25 and 2025/26 negotiations between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England (NHSE), and Community Pharmacy England.
Most of the changes were announced on 1 April, while one has only been announced today to reduce the number of applications before the market entry exemption closes.
Brief information on the changes is in the table below:
|
PLPS regulation amended
|
Brief description of the change |
Date coming into force*
|
| Distance Selling Premises (DSP) pharmacies (Reg. 25) |
The DSP market entry exemption will be closed. From 23 June, no new DSP applications can be accepted/are permitted.
|
23 June 2025 |
|
DSP pharmacies’ ongoing conditions (Reg. 64)
|
DSP pharmacies will no longer be able to deliver Directed services face-to-face with patients, onsite at the distance selling premises.
I.e. (existing) DSP pharmacies will only be able to deliver Directed services (Advanced, National Enhanced, and Enhanced services) remotely from the distance selling premises, similar to their delivery of Essential services OR, if the service specification permits, face-to-face with the patient, off-site.
|
1 October 2025, subject to one, time-limited exemption ending on 31 March 2026.
The administration of COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations on the distance selling premises, as part of an Advanced, National Enhanced, or Enhanced service, continues to be permitted until 31 March 2026.
|
| Changing core opening hours (paragraphs 24(1) and 26(2ZB) of Schedule 4 of the PLPS regulations) |
Core Opening Hours – the regulatory test to change the days and/or times of core opening hours is amended. The existing application route (24(1)) remains and a new route (26(2ZB)) is introduced. The new route gives more scope for pharmacy owners to apply to change the dates and times of their core opening hours. For an application to be granted, the proposed new core opening hours must better meet the needs of their patients and users of the pharmacy.
|
23 June 2025 |
Further information about these regulatory changes can be found in this Briefing 013.25 Regulatory Changes in June 2025 – DSPs, Opening Hours, etc.
Further resources
We have produced some FAQs and information on the regulatory changes:
*The process of approval through Parliament
All amendments to the PLPS regulations go through a Parliamentary approval process known as the negative procedure. More information can be found at Negative procedure – UK Parliament
