Department of Health

Website of the Department of Health

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Medicines and pharmacy

A pair of hands holding a bottle of tablets.

The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, medicines, prescribing and prescription forms, NHS charges and exemptions, local pharmaceutical services (LPS) pilots and local pharmaceutical budgets

Pharmacy in England: Building on strengths, delivering the future - proposals for legislative change

Published: 27 August 2008

This consultation document fulfils the White Paper commitment to publish fuller information on a number of proposals for structural change and consult on them. The document discusses a number of changes and levers which the Department believes are needed in both the medium and longer-term to transform delivery and to align pharmaceutical services within the wider reform programme. COnsultation closes on 20 November 2008.

Pharmacy in England: building on strengths - delivering the future

Published: 3 April 2008

This White Paper sets out a vision for building on the strengths of pharmacy, using that capacity and capability to deliver further improvements in pharmaceutical services over the coming years as part of an overall strategy to ensure safe, effective, fairer and more personalised patient care.

Community pharmacy in England

Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are responsible for securing NHS pharmaceutical services in their area.  This section contains guidance on the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005, the contractual framework for community pharmacy, and Local Pharmaceutical Services (LPS) contracts.

Industry sponsorship

Supporting the UK pharmaceutical and medical devices industry and providing a channel for communication between the Government and the industry.

Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme

Ensuring the NHS has access to good quality branded medicines at reasonable prices, and promoting a healthy, competitive pharmaceutical industry.

Generic medicines

Long-term arrangements for the reimbursement of medicines marketed without a brand name.

Medicines' supply

Guidance on discontinuing medicines, including who should be notified and consulted and best practice on medicines with limited supply.

Prescriptions and prescribing

Prescription forms, charges and exemptions, prescribing software, and roles and responsibilities in the prescription system.

Choosing health through pharmacy

A resource for pharmacists, PCTs, NHS Trusts and public health organisations to help maximise the contribution of pharmacists, their staff and the premises in which they work to improve health and reduce inequalities.

Pharmacy meets public health

Educational resources by PharmacyHealthLink in association with DH to help pharmacy staff give general health advice and more in-depth discussions for healthy lifestyle interventions.

Historical documents

Archive of Medicines, pharmacy and industry documents

Additional links

Related links

Review of Prescription Charges - extending exemption from prescription charges for cancer patients and for people with long term conditions

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding extending exemption from prescription charges for cancer patients and for people with long term conditions the Department has set up a review on the introduction of exemptions for people with long term conditions, which will be led by President of the Royal College of Physicians, Professor Ian Gilmore. This review will conclude Summer 2009. The exemption arrangements for cancer patients will be in place from 1 April 2009, and the exemption for patients with long term conditions will be phased in over the next few years.

Private drugs review

Professor Mike Richards leads a review of the consequences of additional private drugs for NHS care.

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