Our Annual Report 2023/24

The 2023/24 Annual Report for Community Pharmacy England has been published, setting out the range of work that has been done over the past year on behalf of all community pharmacy owners.  

This included negotiations on the new Pharmacy First service and support for pharmacy owners with national services; ongoing work to monitor margin and payments; financial and economic work to show the impossible funding squeeze; political influencing work ahead of the General Election; and a wide range of governance and regulatory work.  

It was a critical year for the sector with the launch of Pharmacy First; but also an incredibly difficult one for all pharmacy owners given the ongoing intolerable financial and operational pressures, and the very worrying rate of pharmacy closures.  

The report sets out the progress we have made in advocating for sector investment, expanding services, and raising the profile of community pharmacy. It also covers our support for pharmacy owners and LPCs, from governance toolkits to fully booked webinars and engagement events. We remain committed to championing community pharmacy and fighting for a better future for all. 

Committed to resetting the dial in Community Pharmacy’s favour 

Our animations above capture, in a nutshell, some of our key efforts in this critical year: securing investment, driving Pharmacy First negotiations, and building political relationships to advocate for increased funding. In 2023, we rebranded as Community Pharmacy England to strengthen our influence and better reflect our mission. We will continue fighting for increased funding and the sector’s future using a range of tactics including advocacy work, economic analysis, national media work, and more.  

Beyond 2023/24: opportunities and challenges 

As we move forward, our focus remains on securing immediate investment and easing pressures on community pharmacies. In the upcoming CPCF negotiations we will be arguing strongly for improvements such as a significant realignment of the Contract Sum, an end to unfunded increases in activity as NHS pharmacies cannot afford more services without more investment, and a write-off of cumulative retained margin owings.  

We will continue our work to build constructive relationships with the new Government and look to influence the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review and new NHS plan.  

View our annual report for 2023/24

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

“This past year has seen significant recognition for community pharmacy, with the launch of Pharmacy First and the inclusion of pharmacy in all major political party manifestos. However, the financial strain on many businesses remains critical, with closures and personal finances being stretched to the limit: without help, the very worrying trend of pharmacy closures will continue.  We hope this year’s report reflects our determination to drive meaningful change for community pharmacy, ensuring businesses can continue serving patients and local communities, and securing a sustainable future for the sector.”