NHS Pharmacy First Funding: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for information on,

1. In each year since 2021/22, how much funding has been allocated to NHS Pharmacy First and
2. What funding has been provided to other pharmacy related initiatives e.g. funding for Community Pharmacy Scotland.

Response

The answers to your questions are:

1. The NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service was launched in 2020/21. Funding allocated from the remuneration Global Sum in each year since 2021/22 was as follows:

2021/22 - £27.5 million
2022/23 - £30.8 million
2023/24 – £30.8 million

2.  All funding for NHS Pharmaceutical Care services delivered by the community pharmacy network, including for Pharmacy First Scotland, is paid directly to independent community pharmacy contractors as part of the remuneration arrangements. NHS Pharmacy First Scotland funding forms part of the overall remuneration package. These details are published annually on the SHOW website - SHOW - Scotlands Health On the Web - Publications

The remuneration Global Sum was set at the following in each year from 2021/22:

2021/22 - £197.977 million
2022/23 - £205.489 million
2023/24 – £219.533 million

Community Pharmacy Scotland are the organisation who represent community pharmacy owners (contractors). Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) are a membership organisation and are not funded by the Scottish Government. CPS have received the following payments, since 2021/22, for services relating to the Scottish Government's monthly discount pricing survey:

2021/22 - £78,540
2022/23 - £99,960
2023/24 – £14,280 (part year April - June 2023)

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.