AQW 40881/22-27


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 18/02/2026
Answered On Date: 05/03/2026
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail how the sustainability of community pharmacy dispensing services is being considered, given ongoing public messaging encouraging patients to access care through their local community pharmacy.


Answer:
My Department has a statutory duty to ensure fair, accurate and prompt payment for HSC commissioned pharmaceutical services, and the Northern Ireland Drug Tariff sets out the remuneration and reimbursement arrangements for medicines supplied by community pharmacies.
My Department publishes an annual review of access and delivery of commissioned community pharmacy services in Northern Ireland. The 2024/25 review found that Northern Ireland continues to be well provided in respect of access to community pharmacy services and that services are delivered in line with a commissioning plan which is agreed between the Department and Community Pharmacy NI, the representative and negotiating body for community pharmacy contractors.
My officials have engaged with CPNI to develop a new commissioning plan for 2025-2028. These new commissioning arrangements will progress the ambitions set out in the Community Pharmacy Strategic Plan 2030, which outlines a vision for delivery of more clinical services that utilise the skills of pharmacy teams and offer safe, convenient and timely access to care.
To provide stability to the community pharmacy sector and ensure the continued supply of medicines to patients, my Department has invested significantly in recent years. Since April 2018, funding has increased by almost £60m (57%). This is the highest level of funding to date and is comparable with the rest of the UK.
Funding for community pharmacy includes payments for dispensing services and also the provision of other pharmacy services to the public for a range of services including Pharmacy First Services such as Sore Throat, Management of Urinary Tract Infections, Emergency Hormonal Contraception and Shingles.
My Department actively and regularly collaborates with CPNI through established stakeholder fora. This engagement helps to inform the annual funding level for community pharmacy services in NI.