Community Pharmacy Devon Weekly Dose 💊

Thursday 7th May 2026

Welcome to your weekly injection of local and national pharmacy news. As always, if you have any feedback or comments, please contact us by email at admin@cpdevon.org.uk.

Sharing your Views on Prescribing in Community Pharmacy

The NPA has partnered with Thiscovery to gather evidence on independent prescribing in community pharmacy – evidence that will directly inform NHS policy and commissioning conversations. They need to reach a large and diverse group of respondents and are looking to hear from community pharmacists – both NPA members and others, with or without a prescribing qualification.

The survey takes around 15 minutes and closes on 24 May 2026.

Women’s Health Month

May is Women’s Health Month. It is important because female health concerns are often invalidated and underappreciated. Some examples of this are: endometriosis being called “normal period pain” and heart attacks being misdiagnosed as anxiety. Here are two websites with resources that may be helpful for you and your teams.

From Periods to Menopause

Wellbeing of Women are a charity that saves and changes the lives of women, girls and babies.
Their health information page has fantastic resources on all aspects of women’s reproductive and gynaecological life.
More than 33 million women in the UK will experience menopause, yet it’s still misunderstood and under-supported. The Menopause Charity provide trusted information, share people’s stories and support people to make choices that are right for them.

Please note that there is an upcoming CPPE menopause workshop taking place on 16th June at the Exeter Court Hotel in Kennford, Exeter. Book a place here.

Reminder: Pharmacy Contraception Service

It is advised that all pharmacy contractors should check if they are signed up for this service. If you are signed up ensure all patient facing members of the team are aware that you are offering this service as there have been reports of patients being turned away from using this service.

It is worth noting that the EHC element of the service is open to all ages not just those aged under 24.

Hypertension case finding service

Now is a good time to review the service specification for the Hypertension Case findings service.

The service specification lists the following inclusion and exclusion criteria for the service:

Inclusion criteria

Adults who are 40 years old or over, who do not have a current diagnosis of hypertension;
Patients, by exception, under the age of 40 who request the service because they have a recognised family history of hypertension may be provided the service at the pharmacy staff’s discretion;
Patients between 35 and 39 years old who are approached about or request the service may be tested at the pharmacy staff’s discretion; and
Adults, with or without a prior diagnosis of hypertension specified by a general practice for the measurement of blood pressure (clinic and ambulatory blood pressure checks). This process should be agreed locally with general practices.

Exclusion criteria

People under the age of 40 years old, unless at the discretion of the pharmacy staff or unless they have been specified by a general practice for the measurement of blood pressure; and
People who have their blood pressure regularly monitored by a healthcare professional, unless the general practice requests the service is provided for the patient. Requests should be sent via a process which is agreed locally with general practices;
People who require daily blood pressure monitoring for any period of time e.g. 7 day clinic checks as an alternative to ABPM; and
People with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation or history of irregular heartbeat.

Support Available for Pharmacy Technician Placements

Overview and Funding CPTAP 2026 offers £15,505 annually per trainee for two years, covering recruitment, salary, and training costs. Eligibility requires a minimum of 30 hours weekly (including study), with part-time funding on a pro-rata basis (regional approval). Each pharmacy group can access one PTPT per NHS England region, up to seven nationally, with applications submitted via regional NHS links, including site ODS codes. It has also recently been announced that apprenticeship incentive payments of up to £6,000 per apprentice are due to be introduced across the coming year (some available now, some rolled out later this year).

Application Process and Key Dates Applications open on 27 April 2026 and close on 18 May 2026. They are reviewed in May–June, with outcomes notified in late June. Pharmacies must confirm acceptance by 3 July 2026, then recruit and enrol apprentices from July to September, with a final recruitment deadline of 30 September 2026. For multiple regions, separate applications are required. Oversubscription prioritises pharmacies new to NHS England funding, then those funded in previous years.

Application Format and Differences from CPTAP 2025 CPTAP 2026 features a streamlined, 32-question, mostly tick-box application divided into four sections covering learning environment, supervision, training, and site info. Unlike CPTAP 2025’s detailed written application, this approach reduces resource burden, especially for smaller pharmacies.

Important Considerations Places are limited and may close early if oversubscribed. Apprentices must be enrolled in an apprenticeship program and receive at least one protected off-the-job training day weekly. Delays should be communicated promptly; unfilled placements may be reallocated.

Support and Next Steps Skills4Pharmacy offers application guidance, apprenticeship delivery, levy transfer support, recruitment assistance, and advice on local incentives. Employers are encouraged to apply early to secure funding, with further details available via the designated landing page.

Community Pharmacy Prescribers Deliver for Devon

Community pharmacy independent prescribers across Devon have made a real impact. Through the NHS Devon Independent Prescribing (IP) Pathfinder Project, nine community pharmacies delivered 5,952 minor illness consultations between June 2024 and December 2025, with around two‑thirds resulting in a prescription.

Patient satisfaction was outstanding, with an average rating of 4.94/5, highlighting rapid access, thorough assessments and compassionate care. Around one third of patients were referred by GP practices, helping to reduce pressure on general practice and improve access to same‑day care.

Pharmacists described the project as highly rewarding and a strong example of how community pharmacy can deliver safe, high‑quality prescribing services—providing a solid foundation for future commissioning as more pharmacists qualify as independent prescribers.

Three community pharmacists in Devon have been commissioned to continue the service for the next 12 months while we wait to find out if there will be a national service.