Regulations
Published on: 16th September 2022 | Updated on: 7th November 2023
NHS (PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES) (WALES) REGULATIONS 2020
The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Wales) Regulations 2020 (legislation.gov.uk)
Welsh Government has published Non-statutory Guidance on the Regulations for Health Boards:
- Non-statutory Guidance on the Regulations for Health Boards English
- Non-statutory Guidance on the Regulations for Health Boards Welsh
Changes to the NHS (2006) Act and the introduction of the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Wales) Regulations 2020 changed the way in which pharmacy applications are granted (“market entry”) and, as of 1st October 2021, Heath Boards in Wales determine applications from community pharmacy contractors using their Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA).
BREACH NOTICES
These same 2020 Regulations also set out the new powers allowing LHBs to take action where there are concerns regarding the provision of pharmaceutical services by pharmacy contractors which may involve breaches of their Terms of Service. It includes the ability for LHBs to impose sanctions such as remedial or breach notices, withhold payments and ultimately remove a pharmacy contractor from a pharmaceutical list. The aim of the sanctions is to ensure consistent provision of pharmaceutical services by contractors in compliance with their terms of service however, the ultimate outcome may be removal from the pharmaceutical list and collectively the powers are known as “market exit”.
More information on individual Health Board Closure Procedures can be found here
Some LHBs have developed specific processes for addressing breaches of Term of Service as below: