Community Pharmacy England (CPE) - News updates

Following the introduction of hub and spoke dispensing between different legal entities this autumn, Community Pharmacy England’s Regulations Team reminds pharmacy owners of the guidance available to help them decide whether it’s appropriate for their pharmacy business.  Among those pharmacies that are not currently using hub and spoke, around 36% are still exploring their options, and 10% haven’t considered it yet, according to our November sector poll. To support them in their considerations, the [...] The post Hub and Spoke: What you need to know appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

In response to a significant ongoing disruption to the supply of Adipine® XL 30mg MR tablets and Adipine® XL 60mg MR tablets, two Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) have been issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). SSP084 Adipine® XL 30mg MR tablets Effective today, 19 December 2025, SSP084 provides that for every one Adipine® [...] The post Two SSPs issued for Adipine® XL 30mg MR tablets and Adipine® XL 60mg MR tablets appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

In response to a significant ongoing disruption to the supply of Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml (Fixapost®) eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free, a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) has been issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Effective today 19 December 2025, SSP086 provides that for every 2.5ml bottle of Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml [...] The post New SSP issued for Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml (Fixapost®) eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml (Fixapost®) eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free MSN/2025/069 Tier 2 – medium impact Date of issue: 19th December 2025 Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml (Fixapost®) eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free are out of [...] The post Medicine Supply Notification: Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml (Fixapost® ) eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Nifedipine (Adipine® XL) 30mg and 60mg modified-release tablets. MSN/2025/068 Tier 2 – medium impact Date of issue: 19th December 2025 Nifedipine (Adipine® XL) 30mg and 60mg modified-release tablets are out of stock until the end of January 2026. Alternative brands of [...] The post Medicine Supply Notification: Nifedipine (Adipine® XL) 30mg and 60mg modified-release tablets appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

There have been media reports today about the additional costs that community pharmacies will be facing next year, threatening further damaging cuts to local NHS services at a time when the Government has pledged to move health services into communities. Community Pharmacy England continually monitors the financial health of the sector and shared similar analysis [...] The post Additional costs for pharmacies in 2026 and beyond appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

Many community pharmacies across the country will be having one of their busiest days of the year today (Friday 19th December) ahead of the upcoming run of Bank Holidays. The pre-Christmas season is always incredibly busy as patients rely on their local pharmacy to be able to stock up on their prescription and other medicines [...] The post Pharmacies hanging on by a thread on busiest day of the year appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

In the 2024/25 and 2025/26 CPCF funding settlement, it was agreed that changes would be made to the Smoking Cessation Service (SCS) to allow suitably trained and competent staff to provide the service, alongside pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, who are currently able to undertake consultations. It was also agreed that Patient Group Directions (PGDs) would [...] The post Updated SCS service spec and PGDs published ahead of changes to the service appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has today (18/12/2025) confirmed the following initial list of price concessions for December 2025: Drug Pack size Price concession Alfuzosin 2.5mg tablets 60 £7.21 Bumetanide 1mg tablets 28 £2.51 Carbocisteine 375mg capsules 120 £5.29 (previously £2.95) Cefalexin 125mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free 100 £4.64 Cefalexin 500mg tablets 21 [...] The post December 2025 Price Concessions 1st Update appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.

Teenage pregnancy has long been a marker of health inequality in England. The provision of locally commissioned sexual health services, including those provided by community pharmacies, has been part of local authority efforts to tackle local health inequalities and improve outcomes. A report from the Local Government Association (LGA)  highlights how local government working with [...] The post Reducing teenage pregnancy – How community pharmacy and local government collaboration has driven progress appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.