Morning, Friday, 25th September 2026
Online
This conference will consider next steps for pharmacy in healthcare delivery in England, looking at priorities in light of the growing role of pharmacies in delivering neighbourhood care models and providing care closer to home.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss co-ordination of policy initiatives for supporting community-based care, including the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, recent Human Medicines regulations on pharmacist authorisation, technician supervision and hub-and-spoke dispensing, the NHS Pharmacy First service, and Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2025-26. Delegates will explore strategies to improve pharmacy services and equitable patient access within NHS integration, alongside practical issues for delivery - including funding pressures, workforce capacity and medicines supply disruption.
Utilising Pharmacy First and improving co-ordination and public awareness
The agenda will examine priorities for the expansion of the Pharmacy First service to ease pressures on primary care services and support the shift towards community-based care. Attendees will assess the role of greater collaboration across primary care, integrated care boards and GP practices, including approaches to referral incentives and addressing IT interoperability barriers that affect referral flows and data sharing. Discussion will also consider priorities for public awareness and patient communications, alongside practical considerations relating to premises capacity, and the use of pilots and local case studies to inform wider rollout.
Training programmes and maintaining patient safety
Further sessions will examine workforce retention and development, including training programmes and career pathways to support evolving responsibilities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians under recent legislative changes, while maintaining patient safety and professional standards.
Medicine supply resilience
Delegates will also assess approaches to strengthening medicine supply resilience and continuity of care, including options for improved co-ordination and communication during shortages, alongside consideration of calls for a more co-ordinated national approach to medicine supply planning.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy and regulation: assessing the 10 Year Health Plan shift to community care - priorities for the NHS Pharmacy First service - implications of the revised Hub and Spoke Regulations
- funding: considerations for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2025-26 - priorities for effective use of funds - addressing funding shortages
- medicine shortages: diversification of supply chains - the role of IT integration, interoperability, and digital tools in supporting supply chains - considerations for a national medicine supply strategy and routine shock level monitoring
- Pharmacy First: strategies to combat low GP referral rates - priorities for IT integration - addressing concerns over premises and funding - building knowledge among local communities
- workforce: assessing the Human Medicines (Authorisation by Pharmacists and Supervision by Pharmacy Technicians) Order 2025 - pharmacy supervision, the role of technicians and autonomous responsibilities - addressing shortages, burnout and morale - support and retention strategies, including key considerations for Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme expansion - key considerations for training, upskilling and implementation in aseptic facilities
- digital innovation and technology: assessing developments in online pharmacies - priorities for rollout of the NHS App prescription tracking service
