June Committee meeting focuses on CPCF reform and the future of the sector

Community Pharmacy England met for a full Committee meeting on 24th and 25th June, with discussions largely focused on the reform agenda and strategy for the future. 

Pharmacies continue to face significant financial and operational pressures and Committee Members want to ensure that pharmacy owners’ views and the realities of running community pharmacy businesses remain central to discussions with Government as the reform agenda develops. 

At the June meeting, the Committee considered the emerging scope for contract reform, potential priorities for inclusion and approaches to shaping the agenda. Members are keen to extract the most benefit from the shared reform programme and discussions included identifying opportunities for further regulatory reform to support wider NHS objectives. 

This was followed by wider discussions looking at strategies for a more sustainable and resilient future for community pharmacy, well in advance of next year’s negotiations. After exploring a range of future scenarios for the sector informed by current trends, Committee Members considered the critical components needed to support a viable and accessible community pharmacy network. 

Subcommittees also met to consider topics including work to implement changes agreed in the 2026/27 CPCF and ongoing areas of concern such as rising generics prices. They also discussed specific areas for reform of the margin and reimbursement system.  Here the Committee were joined by LPC leaders from the South West region, who shared feedback from pharmacy owners in their area. 

Other discussions at Committee 

Hearing directly from the sector 

Early findings from the 2026/27 CPCF settlement poll (open until 11.59pm on 12th July) were considered by Committee Members alongside reflections from the first regional roadshow events. Feedback from these engagement activities, together with input from Regional Representatives and LPCs, will be used to inform Community Pharmacy England’s work. 

The LPC and Contractor Support Subcommittee heard about follow-up actions on the patient abuse poll findings from earlier this year, which included meetings with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and the National Police Chiefs Council. 

Meanwhile, findings from the Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2026 will shortly be used to highlight the systemic pressures community pharmacies are facing, with activity planned that everyone working in the sector can get involved in. 

Preparing for elections 

The Committee agreed a proposal to make the current interim composition permanent subject to minor modifications to ensure continued representation of the sector. This follows work by the Governance and People Subcommittee and engagement with other pharmacy bodies, and sits alongside preparations for the 2027 elections. 

Read more in the full meeting summary: 

Briefing 013/26: Summary of April 2026 Committee Meeting

Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, said:  

“We are still working with the DHSC to shape a forward-looking programme of community pharmacy contractual reform, centred on strengthening the sustainability of the sector. This will require a more effective medicines margin framework in the short term, alongside a fundamental review of the current reimbursement model against alternative approaches. It will also involve re-examining the clinical services offered across the network, with a clearer steer on national and local commissioning and funding architecture that supports greater clinical contribution. In parallel, we will reassess how dispensing works within a modern medicines optimisation model, and pursue regulatory reform that removes barriers, enables innovation, and supports effective patient access. Constructive engagement with the sector is essential for this reform agenda, which is why we will be inviting all sector bodies to put forward their ideas and have already begun collating pharmacy owners’ views.”