Last month, we highlighted the NHS England Independent Prescribing in Community Pharmacy Pathfinder Programme and its demonstration of the transformative potential of pharmacist-led prescribing services.
At the heart of this programme was a robust electronic prescribing capability delivered by CLEO Systems. Working in partnership with NHS England, CLEO supported the Pathfinder Programme by enabling electronic prescribing functionality within community pharmacy settings.
Around 180 pharmacies across England went live with CLEO Community Pharmacy, using the platform to prescribe for patients. By digitising the creation of FP10 prescriptions, the solution delivers significant benefits, improving the patient experience while eliminating issues associated with paper prescriptions, such as loss, theft and illegibility. The result is a safer, more efficient prescribing process.
The early results from the Pathfinder Programme are compelling. Nearly 63,000 patient consultations were delivered, with more than half resulting in prescribing activity, and over 86% completed entirely within community pharmacy. User feedback has also been extremely positive, with one participant noting: “CLEO Community Pharmacy is easy to navigate and works very, very well.”
These outcomes clearly demonstrate what can be achieved when pharmacists are equipped with the right digital tools. As the Pathfinder Programme concludes, it is essential that this progress is not lost.
With funding decisions approaching, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have a critical opportunity to secure continued access to CLEO Community Pharmacy. Doing so will enable community pharmacies to retain electronic prescribing capabilities that have already proven their value. Where ICB support is confirmed, individual pharmacies can also adopt the system.
A transformational moment for community pharmacy
The sector is entering a period of significant change. From September 2026, all newly registered pharmacists in the UK will qualify as independent prescribers at the point of registration. Alongside this, the NHS Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) for 2026/27 outlines how independent prescribing will be embedded into Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS) from autumn 2026.
This evolution will enable community pharmacist prescribers to issue prescriptions within existing clinical pathways, while supporting the introduction of new prescribing-only Pharmacy First pathways. Pharmacists will also be empowered to prescribe alternative medicines, where clinically appropriate, for example, in response to supply shortages and in agreement with the original prescriber.
Together, these developments represent one of the most significant changes community pharmacy has experienced in decades. CLEO Community Pharmacy is currently the only accredited pharmacy system designed specifically for community pharmacists delivering electronic prescribing and our experience in the Pathfinder Programme places us in a strong position to support this transition.
Enabling pharmacists to deliver more
Pharmacists are increasingly expected to manage urgent care presentations, support patients with long-term conditions, conduct clinical assessments and provide treatment without referral to another healthcare professional.
To deliver this effectively, they need systems designed around real-world practice. CLEO Community Pharmacy enables a seamless journey from consultation to prescribing and medicine supply within a single platform, removing the need to switch between systems and reducing duplication.
The CPCF also emphasises the importance of governance and safety. CLEO Community Pharmacy addresses this through integrated clinical decision support, secure authentication, and comprehensive audit trails. These features ensure that prescribing decisions are well-supported, appropriately documented, and fully traceable.
Supporting the future of neighbourhood healthcare
As the NHS continues its shift toward neighbourhood healthcare, aiming to move care out of hospitals and closer to patients, independent prescribing will play a vital role. It can improve access, reduce pressure on general practice and enable pharmacists to make fuller use of their clinical expertise within local communities.
By equipping pharmacists with the tools to create and manage electronic prescriptions within community pharmacy, CLEO Community Pharmacy helps preserve the gains of the Pathfinder Programme and provides the digital foundation needed for the expansion of independent prescribing services.
For more information on CLEO EPS Community Pharmacy, click here.
