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Community pharmacies in Wales will receive a 4% funding uplift under the ‘Community pharmacy contractual framework (CPCF) for 2025–2026’, Jeremy Miles, Welsh cabinet secretary for health and social care, has said.
In a written cabinet statement, published on 20 November 2025, Miles said the agreement is in line with the doctors’ and dentists’ pay award for salaried NHS dentists and GPs.
“Remuneration for community pharmacy falls outside the scope of the NHS Doctors and Dentists Review Body recommendations,” Miles wrote.
“However, we previously committed to a fair and proportionate pay uplift across primary care, covering community pharmacies, NHS optometrists, all staff working in general practice and NHS dental services, in recognition of the vital role they play in delivering essential services to people throughout Wales.”
He also said that the 4% funding increase for community pharmacy equates to an additional £7m in 2025/2026, which is an increase of nearly 30% since 2016/2017.
“The investment will help to address the immediate challenges facing community pharmacies, while continuing to support progress towards our longer-term ambitions for reform, which are outlined in ‘Presgripsiwn newydd — a new prescription‘,” Miles added.
A spokesperson for Community Pharmacy Wales said that it welcomed the extra funding to “help address the immediate challenges facing community pharmacies”.
They also confirmed that the uplift will be backdated to 1 April 2025, while the balance of the additional funding will be allocated across a range of elements within the overall CPCF.
“The board has made clear throughout the negotiations that the current funding levels are insufficient to prevent a financial crisis across the network,” the spokesperson added.
“Without further support, contractors will be forced to make difficult business decisions that could adversely affect the delivery of community pharmacy clinical services and limit the sector’s ability to embrace future reforms.”
Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association, said: “We welcome the 4% uplift in funding, which will help alleviate some of the significant pressures currently facing the network in Wales.
“However, the demand and workload in community pharmacies continues to grow at a pace that far exceeds current funding levels. Without additional support, contractors may be forced to make difficult decisions that could compromise patient access to vital services.
“Continued investment in future deals is essential to ensure community pharmacies can deliver the ambition set out in the Presgripsiwn Newydd.”
Geraldine McCaffrey, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Welsh Pharmacy Board, commented: “Community pharmacies in Wales deliver outstanding pharmaceutical care, with an ever-increasing number of clinical services, including prescribing, being delivered across the sector benefitting patients.
“We welcome the clarity the new funding agreement brings. Pharmacy teams are under real pressure, their dedication to patient care, growing clinical role and professional development must be recognised and adequately supported to ensure a sustainable and thriving network.”
McCaffrey is set to take over as the director for Wales at the RPS from 1 December 2025.
