Market Entry application change – no references required

From next week, Tuesday 1 October, references will no longer be required for market entry applications. This followed concerns raised by Community Pharmacy England that they offered little value to the process and contributed to delays.

The changes are included in The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 and mean that applicants no longer have to provide details of referees with a relevant application, for example, a change of ownership application. NHS England has also determined that the same principle applies (no references required) for notifications of a change of a director or superintendent pharmacist.

The changes also provide that most applications submitted before 1 October should no longer require references and this should help reduce delays for existing as well as new applications.

The briefing for applicants in the market entry process may continue to be of help on continuing fitness information requirements, for example, the work history declaration.