Community pharmacy has been undergoing a significant shift as independent prescribing moves from ambition to reality across England and from September 2026, all newly registered pharmacists in the UK will automatically become independent prescribers.
Central to this transformation is the ambitions of the NHS Independent Prescribing in Community Pharmacy Pathfinder Programme. This project ran from 2024 and laid the groundwork for enabling pharmacist-led prescribing in primary care. A key part of this project was the delivery of an electronic prescribing element, provided by CLEO Systems – CLEO EPS Community Pharmacy (CLEO EPS CP) – which was delivered to more than 180 sites during that time.
The NHS Pathfinder programme provided compelling early evidence of positive impact and highlighted the significant potential of pharmacy-led prescribing services to improve care at the point of use and move care from hospital and primary care into the community. .
What’s important about independent prescribing?
Dr Paul Perry, Medical Director at CLEO Systems, says: “Independent prescribing allows pharmacists to assess and treat patients autonomously, enhancing their role within the healthcare team. It maximises their skills and enables timely, appropriate care without unnecessary delays.”
Early findings suggest these services can enhance medicines adherence, optimise therapeutic outcomes and reduce avoidable hospital admissions. The programme also demonstrates the effectiveness of pharmacist prescribers managing patient care within their local communities.
Across England, Pathfinder sites delivered nearly 63,000 patient consultations, with 53% resulting in prescribing activity. These are all activities that would have otherwise taken place in general practice or hospital settings. Even more interesting is that more than 86% of these episodes were completed within community pharmacy, without onward referral. It also reinforces the role pharmacies can play in addressing health inequalities, with 20% of prescribing activity taking place in the most deprived areas of England.
These impressive findings highlight the potential of community pharmacy to improve medicines adherence, optimise therapeutic outcomes and reduce avoidable hospital admissions. Pharmacists also fed back statements such as : “I was very deflated with community pharmacy, I was actually going to leave, and really wanted to use my clinical skills and really wanting to utilise my prescribing qualification as well. So Pathfinder saved me”.
How IT is helping support the move to independent prescribing for pharmacists
Richard Brown, Co-owner and Superintendent Pharmacist of Chippenham Pharmacy, was one of the pharmacists involved in the Pathfinder programme and attests to how technology can support pharmacists to step confidently into expanded clinical roles. He has seen first-hand how CLEO EPS CP can transform care delivery in community pharmacy, supporting newly qualified independent prescribers and helping move appropriate care closer to patients in the community.
Richard says: “CLEO EPS is easy to navigate and works very, very well.”
Before adopting CLEO EPS CP, electronic prescribing was not possible within Richard’s pharmacy. The introduction of the platform immediately changed how care could be delivered. Prescribing became seamless, enabling patients to move directly from consultation to receiving their medication without unnecessary delays.
It reduces administrative burden and automates routine processes and means pharmacists can spend less time on back-office tasks and more time focused on patient care. CLEO EPS CP ensures prescriptions can be created, managed and dispensed within the pharmacy, the system improves accuracy, traceability and overall patient safety.
Working alongside NHS England, CLEO Systems helped equip Pathfinder sites with the tools needed to embed prescribing into everyday pharmacy workflows. By providing real-time access to patient records, integrating clinical decision support and enabling seamless electronic prescribing within the pharmacy, CLEO EPS CP has been instrumental in turning policy into practice.
Designed specifically for community pharmacy, CLEO EPS CP enhances prescribing capabilities while supporting clinical safety, particularly for newly qualified independent prescribers. The platform provides real-time access to patient records through integrations such as GP Connect and the NHS Spine, alongside clinical decision support tools that assist pharmacists in making informed prescribing decisions.
So, what next for technology supported EPS in Independent Prescribing?
With the Pathfinder programme finishing in 2026 and Integrated Care Boards having to commit to funding from October – how best to build on this excellent start?
Well CLEO EPS CP can be funded by ICBs if requested.
Richard believes electronic prescribing is fundamental to the future of community pharmacy, particularly in supporting the shift of same-day care, such as minor illnesses, into local settings. This not only improves access for patients but also frees up GP capacity to focus on more complex, long-term conditions.
As the NHS moves towards a more neighbourhood-focused model, community pharmacy is well placed to become a first point of contact for many patients.
The NHS Pathfinder programme has highlighted the significant potential of pharmacy-led prescribing services to improve care at the point of use. The programme also demonstrates the effectiveness of pharmacist prescribers managing patient care within their local communities. “Pharmacy-based prescribing will be a cornerstone of future care,” says Dr Perry. “It improves accessibility, reduces pressure on other services and ensures patients receive the right treatment at the right time.”
The NHS Pathfinder programme has already demonstrated the impact of this model, but its success also points to a much bigger opportunity. For Richard, the implications are clear: “Without a prescribing service, we’re limiting the impact of highly trained professionals. It’s a massive missed opportunity if we’re not using pharmacists to prescribe.”
For more information on CLEO EPS Community Pharmacy, click here.
