The Department of Heath and Social Care has said there will be a ‘reduced’ Pharmacy Quality Scheme for 2023-2024 than previously planned with much fewer elements to the scheme than originally anticipated. This announcement has come after several warnings from PSNC over the last few months, highlighting the critical condition pharmacy is in. PSNC has stressed that pharmacies will not be able to deliver pharmacy services if the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQV) funding isn’t improved.
The PQS is due to launch on the 1st of June its now expected to only have 60% of the original funding – this equates to £45m with the remaining £30m kept aside to combat fee reduction and ensure there is no over spend of fees for the new financial year.
For pharmacies to qualify for any PQS funding, there is a strict criterion that has to be met – this is made up of three quality criteria’s: medicines safety and optimisation, respiratory and prevention. All three areas have in depth commitments which will take time, up skilling and forward planning in order for them to be delivered properly as well as crucial funding. The criteria’s set out for the PQS do take into considerations the commitments to the patients, quality of service and he NHS however PSNC still stands by the fact that their warnings to the governments haven’t been fully taken on board. PSNC has commented that they have been direct with the government and the NHS that the money for pharmacy has run out and there is not enough money to deliver the new services over the coming years as expected. There is too much pressure on the pharmacy workforce currently without adding new services and being able to deliver them to a high standard for the patients. The ministers have made some changes to the PQS with removing some of the bigger clinical audits and redirecting some of the funding to essential areas. But it seems it’s too little too late and won’t make a massive difference to pharmacy contractors who are drowning in the current workload and pressures.