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Pharmacies that have operated prescribing pathfinder sites will receive £1,500 a month if selected by their integrated care board (ICB) to continue operating after December 31, England’s chief pharmacist has said. 

Writing to ICBs and NHS England (NHSE) regions today, chief pharmaceutical officer David Webb set out the transition plan as the independent prescribing pilot winds down between now and the end of the year. 

Mr Webb said that although the pathfinder programme will formally conclude this December 31, NHSE will continue to support ICBs “who wish to continue activity during the transition period” which will run until the end of March 2026. 

Those pharmacies that are chosen by their ICB will receive the £1,500 monthly payment alongside access to electronic prescribing system Cleo Solo.  

“ICBs are encouraged to continue pathfinder sites where possible,” Mr Webb wrote as he asked commissioners’ IP pharmacy leads to “agree locally” which sites will continue into early 2026 and which clinical models will be maintained. 

“Active pharmacy site with patient consultation activity should be prioritised,” he advised. 

Mr Webb also told ICBs to use the interim period up to December 31 to wind down those sites that will not continue, including closing down cost centres and deactivating NHS smartcard roles. 

He encouraged ICBs to build local business cases to continue commissioning IP-based clinical services from April 2026 onwards.  

Commenting on the success of the programme, Mr Webb wrote: “Pathfinder sites have delivered over 33,000 patient consultations across 164 pharmacy sites, with more than 59 per cent resulting in prescribing interventions that either ‘stop, start or change medicines’ that otherwise would have been done by a GP or hospital.” 

He said a national evaluation of the programme will follow, including learnings from focus groups, and that NHS will develop a framework for commissioners to refer to “to support the governance and assurance of prescribing in community pharmacy”.  

Mr Webb added that “will consult with Community Pharmacy England to determine what will form any part of a national service offer”.