Only six Essential Small Pharmacies have so far secured long-term contractual arrangements with the local NHS, three months after the end of the previous ESP Local Pharmaceutical Services scheme.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by the National Pharmacy Association has revealed that:

• 28 former ESPS pharmacies have transferred to the pharmaceutical list with no proposal made to NHS England for a new LPS arrangement
• Five have transferred to the pharmaceutical list following a rejection by NHS England of an LPS arrangement
• 48 are currently in discussion with NHS England about a new LPS arrangement, but no arrangement has been agreed (all contractors in this category have returned to the list, while discussions on LPS proposals are on-going)
• Nine have a short-term LPS arrangement with a duration of 12 months or less in place
• Five have a new LPS arrangement of more than 12 months and no more than 24 months is in place
• Six have a new LPS arrangement of more than 24 months in place. 

NPA head of communications Stephen Fishwick said: “48 pharmacies are currently in limbo, with NHS England having failed to give them a decision, leaving them with little scope to plan for their future. Many more have only short-term arrangements in place. NHSE needs to move much more quickly to secure the future of these services.”

The vast majority of affected pharmacies are independents. “Naturally, we are very concerned about the potential impact on our members and the communities that they serve. We have offered our support to all affected pharmacies in NPA membership and made a range of resources available to them. This includes materials to mobilise the local community as advocates for the pharmacy, should that be necessary”.

Originally scheduled to end in 2011, PSNC secured two extensions to the national ESP LPS arrangements, and the contracts were amended to terminate in March 2015. The remaining essential small pharmacies had to negotiate directly with their area team for local service commissioning.

PSNC had identified around 100 pharmacies that remained within the ESP LPS arrangements but, of these, some had been given notice of termination because their prescription volume had exceeded the threshold for support. These pharmacies were expected to return to the pharmaceutical list, and receive the standard pharmacy funding as set out in the Drug Tariff.