The community pharmacy funding settlement for 2014/15 has been agreed at £2.8 billion, while various changes have been added to Advanced Services and to the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has announced. PSNC chief executive Sue Sharpe confirmed that the new medicine service (NMS) will continue as an Advanced Service, while pharmacies will have to ensure that 70 per cent of their MURs are provided to patients within the target groups, including the new category of cardiovascular risk.

In addition, pharmacy contractors will be required to include pharmacy names in reports of patient safety incidents; to give patients appropriate advice about the benefits of the Repeat Dispensing service; and to take part in a national audit on the emergency supply of medicines by pharmacies next year (in place of an area team specified clinical audit). Ms Sharpe said: “We are very pleased that, following the positive outcome of the DH commissioned evaluation of the New Medicine Service, this will continue as an Advanced Service. This reflects our policy to build value around the core supply service and highlights once again the importance of pharmacy’s medicines optimisation role within the NHS.”

Ms Sharpe added that the PSNC would continue to strive to expand the service framework across the areas of medicines optimisation, self-care, supporting elderly people and promoting health and wellbeing.