NHS Prescribing within the CPCF

From 29 October 2026, prescribing was introduced into the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF), allowing approved pharmacist prescribers working from approved pharmacies to prescribe as part of specified NHS community pharmacy services.

Prescribing currently covers three main areas:

Pharmacy First

Approved pharmacist prescribers can prescribe within the seven established Pharmacy First clinical pathways, instead of supplying medicines under the relevant PGDs:

Sinusitis
Sore throat
Acute otitis media
Infected insect bites
Impetigo
Shingles
Uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women

Approved pharmacist prescribers can also provide five additional prescribing-only pathways:

Acute otitis externa
Seasonal allergic rhinitis
Mild to moderate acne
Migraine
Mild skin and soft tissue infections and scabies

The five additional pathways can only be provided through the prescribing service.

Pharmacy Contraception Service

Approved pharmacist prescribers can prescribe within the Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS) instead of using PGDs, with additional prescribing options available in line with the service specification.

Prescription Management

Approved pharmacist prescribers can also undertake Prescription Management, allowing an alternative item to be prescribed where appropriate, for example because of a supply issue or clinical error with the original prescription, where the necessary arrangements are in place with the original prescriber/GP practice.

Getting ready to provide prescribing

Being a GPhC-registered independent prescriber does not automatically authorise a pharmacist to provide NHS prescribing within the CPCF. The pharmacy and individual pharmacist prescriber(s) must complete the required preparation, onboarding and approval before prescribing begins.

Pharmacies will need to ensure that:

They provide Pharmacy First and/or PCS, depending on the prescribing service being offered.
A suitably qualified and competent pharmacist prescriber is available.
The prescriber's scope of practice and competence are appropriate for each pathway/service they will provide.
Prescribing can be provided for at least 24 hours per week for 45 weeks of each financial year.
Appropriate SOPs, risk assessment, governance, indemnity, clinical supervision and business continuity arrangements are in place.
The required clinical record access, IT and NHS-approved EPS prescribing system are available.
Relevant team members are appropriately trained.
The required NHS/ICB onboarding and authorisation has been completed.

Do not start NHS prescribing until the pharmacy and pharmacist prescriber(s) have completed the required onboarding and authorisation and are ready to provide the service safely.

Alphega support

We have developed new resources and updated our existing SOPs to help Alphega members prepare for and safely deliver prescribing within the CPCF.

New resources

The checklist provides a practical step-by-step guide covering pharmacy and prescriber readiness, competence, governance, systems and EPS requirements, onboarding, go-live checks and ongoing requirements.

Updated SOPs

We have also updated our existing service SOPs to incorporate prescribing:

These resources should be used alongside the latest NHS Community Pharmacy Prescribing Specification, relevant service specifications, clinical pathways and national guidance.