PSNC and NHS England have agreed that the Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework (CPAF) will be amended this year.

The CPAF monitors the provision of locally commissioned services and assesses pharmacy contractors’ compliance with the terms of the community pharmacy contractual framework (CPCF).

The revised framework will be administered through the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). It includes a preliminary screening process consisting of a short questionnaire of 10 questions, which all pharmacies will be asked to complete to self-audit their services.

This information will be considered along with other information collated by the NHSBSA and a number of pharmacies will be asked to complete the full CPAF questionnaire. In the final stage, many of these pharmacies will then be visited for contract monitoring purposes.

This new process is currently being piloted in the North West with national roll out expected in September.