Winter Incentive Scheme

05/02/2026 – PREMS Reporting Update

Please note that there have been changes to the reporting requirements of the Winter Incentive Scheme – PREMS Feasibility Study which you can read about here.

Welsh Government have agreed to revise the reporting arrangements, and have reduced the target from 85% to 50%. 

• Where in a calendar month a contractor has submitted a claim for payment and has a ‘PREMS’ documentation rate of less than 30% of CAS records annotated the relevant payment for that month (set out below) will be recovered by the health board.
• Where in a calendar month a contractor has submitted a claim for payment and has documented ‘PREMS’ in more than 30% but less than 50% of CAS records, health boards will contact the contractor to remind them of the scheme requirements and would expect to see an improvement in documentation rates in subsequent months where claims for payment are made.

Q: Who should pharmacies contact if they haven’t had an A1 poster?

A: Pharmacies should contact CPW. They will liaise with WG who will check delivery records.

Q: I am currently an Independent Prescriber with a scope of practice treating patients presenting with symptoms of uncomplicated UTI. Will I be penalised for continuing to see UTI patients under PIPs rather than CAS? If a patient meeting the inclusion criteria for CAS-management of UTI presents, should I manage the patient under CAS or could I manage as an Independent Prescriber?

Pharmacists with a limited scope of practice as independent prescribers will not be disadvantaged in the Winter Incentive Scheme. Participation is evidenced by CAS accreditation and routine service data, not by specific targets.

Where a pharmacy is commissioned to provide both CAS and Pharmacist Independent Prescribing Service (PIPS), patients should be managed through the most appropriate service to meet their needs with pharmacists expected to provide an equitable offer to patients in managing conditions such as uncomplicated sore throats and UTIs following current clinical guidance, regardless of whether treated under CAS or PIPS.

In the short term where this is the only condition that can be managed, it is acceptable for the contractors PIPS provision not to be adversely affected by the changes to CAS, however there is an expectation that in time the PIPS service delivered provides access to the range of conditions and clinical circumstances set out in Appendix 1 of the current PIPS Specification.

Q: What if I have asked a patient to complete the PREMS survey but forgotten to annotate?

A: PREMS annotation will be looked at for all consultations occurring on or after 20^th October. In response to the issues raised, and confirmation WG have agreed to revise the reporting arrangements, and have reduced the target to from 85% to 50%. They have also confirmed to LHBs that pharmacies that do not achieve a recording rate of 30% are liable to have their £125 monthly payment for Element 1 of the Winter Incentive scheme recovered via PPV. You can read more about this revised target here.

Q: Many GP practices and pharmacies have digital screens – where can relevant assets be found to help support the Winter Incentive and wider promotion of CAS?

A; The Welsh Government Assetbank is available to all contractors for accessing digital assets. https://assets.service.gov.wales/health

Q: Where do pharmacies record PREMS annotation on CAS

A: CPW have produced a quick guide on where to record the PREMS annotation. Where possible it should be recorded in the additional information box. Where patients are referred to another provider it is recommended that the PREMS annotation is clearly separated from any other information intended for the recipient of the referral and it is made clear that PREMS is a note for pharmacy use only – eg “Pharmacy note: PREMS” or “For Pharmacy: PREMS”