2015 work plan

In January 2015 Community Pharmacy England and its subcommittees agreed their annual work plans in line with Community Pharmacy England’s overall vision for community pharmacy. In 2015 Community Pharmacy England will work to:

Community pharmacy services

• Secure the commissioning of community pharmacy services within the scope of the current NHS England negotiating mandate
• Promote alignment of GP and community pharmacy contracts and contemporaneous negotiation
• Develop models of integrated care that demonstrate the benefit of using community pharmacy services
• Ensure outcome evaluations of community pharmacy services are undertaken and collated, including robust evaluations of the costs and benefits of potential pharmacy services to the NHS
• Use all opportunities to promote community pharmacy services, within the four domains of Community Pharmacy England’s Vision, and the benefits of national commissioning
• Address barriers to community pharmacy service expansion, including how to ensure all patients can benefit from services
• Work with other pharmacy bodies to promote greater commissioning of community pharmacy services

Community pharmacy funding and pricing

• Establish a sound basis for future funding of the service providing a fair return to contractors
• Ensure funding and reimbursement mechanisms are fair to contractors
• Monitor and analyse funding delivery, and agree changes to current systems that mitigate risks of under and over-delivery of agreed funding
• Examine options for financial levers to incentivise change and develop NHS England support
• Ensure EPS is resilient, efficient, and costs to pharmacy are fully funded
• Monitor payment accuracy and support contractors in resolving queries
• Resolve Drug Tariff problems where possible, including shortages and price rises, branded generic and brand prescribing policies, demonstrating the damage to NHS finances

External relationships

• Seek the best possible resolution of prescription direction
• Secure changes to the regulatory framework governing provision of pharmaceutical services that support and protect the interests of contractors
• Develop alliances and collaborate with other trade organisations to lobby for desirable changes in legislation governing supply of pharmaceutical services
• Work with DH, other pharmacy organisations and MHRA to prepare for FMD implementation and ensure financial implications for pharmacy are captured and resolved
• Develop stakeholder understanding of community pharmacy’s core role and value including finances, the pharmaceuticals market, pharmacy procurement and distribution
• Pursue action against the current practice of ‘switching’ as advised by Counsel
• Examine opportunities for a national provider company, implementing if agreed

Supporting contractors and LPCs

• Assist LPCs to promote pharmacy service provision to local commissioners
• Promote models of successful LPCs, encouraging federation and mergers
• Support LPCs in addressing contracting challenges through provider companies and other routes
• Help LPCs to improve their effectiveness by provision of support and training
• Provide the best possible information and support to contractors and pharmacy teams

For more information on this topic please email comms.team@cpe.org.uk