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A full CPE Committee Meeting was organised in London on April 17 and 18, 2024, to discuss crucial sectoral issues. Key topics discussed during the two-day meeting included intolerable pressures on pharmacy owners, the ongoing Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) negotiations, implementation of the Pharmacy First service, and governance changes. Committee Members reviewed the progress of CPCF negotiations with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England. These critical negotiations are being led by the Negotiating Team (NT), which includes independent pharmacy owners and representatives of CCA and non-CCA multiples. The CPE has been advocating for an uplift to the core global sum, margin write-offs, an agreed mechanism for regular funding increases linked to activity and inflation, annual uplifts to service fees, more fundamental reform of the margin delivery framework and an economic review of the medicines supply chain. The Committee also discussed the results of the 2024 Pharmacy Pressures Survey, which was conducted during March and April.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is seeking views from all community pharmacy owners about the pressures faced this autumn season. A survey has been launched as the "November Pre-Committee Opinion Poll" until 6 November to seek views from independents and non-Company Chemists' Association (CCA) members. The results of the poll will be sent to the head offices of CCA multiples next week for discussion at the November Committee Meeting. CPE confirmed: "The results of these polls and the outcomes of the meeting will be reported back to the sector afterwards. They said that the survey "will be used to feed into our ongoing work to press for an uplift to core funding by enhancing our evidence base of what pharmacy owners are experiencing."

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is inviting community pharmacy owners to share their insights and views about increasing Pharmacy First thresholds and the effects of GP collective action on their pharmacies. This feedback will be discussed at the upcoming Community Pharmacy England Committee meeting in September. During the meeting, the Committee members will also discuss urgent matters including the 2024/25 negotiations, collaboration with the new government, and their ongoing strategies. A key point of discussion will also be the effects of GP work-to-rule action on community pharmacies. CPE has raised concerns that many pharmacies might face challenges meeting the scheduled increases in the monthly Pharmacy First payment threshold, noting that pharmacy owners are already considering their options if they start failing to meet the threshold. In response to concerns from Community Pharmacy England, Ministers have recently agreed to lower the August threshold from 20 to 15.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has asked community pharmacy owners to share their views on preparations for the new national Pharmacy First service, ahead of the next full Committee meeting at the end of January. The advanced service, which is set for launch from 31 January, will allow patients to seek advice and treatment for seven common conditions directly from their local pharmacy, without the need to contact their GP practice. It is expected to help NHS free up 10m GP appointments a year. However, CPE chief executive Janet Morrison has previously expressed that the Pharmacy First investment is not the panacea for pharmacy's funding woes. Pharmacy owners' feedback will be used in the Committee's campaigning and influencing work to press for an uplift to core funding, CPE said.

Community pharmacies are being forced to halt certain NHS and public health services due to escalating financial and operational pressures, a recent survey by Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has revealed. In the survey conducted ahead of the June Committee Meeting, an overwhelming 96 per cent of pharmacy owners reported having stopped delivering locally commissioned services over the past twelve months. Additionally, nearly one-third of the pharmacies surveyed indicated they had discontinued providing some Advanced services. The survey also revealed that pharmacy opening hours are being reduced, with 81 per cent of respondents stating they had to stop offering extended hours. In 90 per cent of the cases, pharmacy owners had to cease employing locum pharmacists, likely due to cost constraints. Furthermore, over 20 per cent of the more than 2,100 pharmacies surveyed reported having to discontinue the free delivery of prescription medicines to patients.