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Funding, closures, market share, prescribing, workforce, sector politics, the impact of Labour’s NHS shake-up: we hear from grassroots pharmacists and sector leaders on how they see 2026 shaping up. By Saša Janković

Sadik Al-Hassan, Pharmacist and MP for North Somerset

“Last year was a big moment for community pharmacy with a funding injection to stabilise the sector that also injected a little hope. I hope that pharmacy isn’t just on a downward trajectory with ever greater cost savings, but actually a profession with a growing future. 

“This coming year will be a holding pattern with hopefully an above-inflation settlement while we translate the vision of pharmacy in 2035, what it means for us, what transition would look like and what we will finally be when we grow up. I think next year will be very exciting for pharmacy as we begin to peer into the future of what our role, our profession will be.” 

Janet Morrison, Community Pharmacy England 

“2026 will be an important year for community pharmacy. The 10 Year Health Plan offers an opportunity to embed pharmacy at the heart of primary care through the Neighbourhood Health Service.

“With the potential for NHS commissioning of independent prescribing, we expect further expansion of clinical services such as Pharmacy First and paving the way for pharmacies to become providers of vaccinations and long-term condition management. However, sustainability remains a challenge. The 2026/2027 contract negotiations must deliver progress towards a viable funding model to protect patient access.”

Professor Claire Anderson, Royal Pharmaceutical Society president

“Looking ahead to 2026, we hope community pharmacy will move from gradual change to real progress in delivering more clinical care. 

“We hope community pharmacies will play a bigger role in prevention, early detection and long-term condition management, working more closely with GPs and the wider primary care team to deliver joined-up care closer to home. Achieving this depends on a stable workforce, funding that reflects pharmacists’ growing clinical role. It will also require the right infrastructure, with investment in education and training, clear guidance on clinical supervision and digital systems that let pharmacists access and update patient records.” 

Malcolm Harrison, Company Chemists’ Association 

“Our predictions for in 2026 reflect a sector under increasing pressure, yet continuing to evolve to meet patient needs. We hope for a significant uplift in NHS funding, but expect a modest one, unlikely to alleviate pressures or bridge the gap between the cost of providing NHS care and what is paid for it.

“Pharmacy First and the emergency contraception service will continue to embed, with rising patient demand and prescription volumes. With NHS workload increasingly unsustainable, pharmacies will pivot towards private services. Vaccines will become an increasingly key part of pharmacy’s role. Medicine shortages will continue, though pharmacist flexibilities and independent prescribing (IP) may offer new routes to tackling these. We are encouraged by plans for prescribing services during 2026/2027 and hope prescribing will be integrated into Pharmacy First, with any expansion properly invested in.” 

Jay Badenhorst, Pharmacists’ Defence Association 

“Our predictions are that Pharmacy First will continue to grow in England, with increased fees and monthly payment bands. NHS England plans to embed prescribing-based services during 2026/27, and more IPs and increased demand for non-NHS services will see further growth in private clinics. However, PDA analysis highlights the need for investment in a sustainable, suitably trained workforce, and the PDA continues to call for inclusion in service design discussions.

“As the NHS 10 Year Plan aims to shift pharmacy toward clinical, preventative care, hub-and-spoke models will accelerate, pharmacy technicians will increasingly deliver services, and changes to supervision rules will be shaped in 2026. Workplace wellbeing will become critical.” 

Jessica Morris, Nuffield Trust fellow

“From 2026, all new pharmacists will register as independent prescribers, so we’ll see a big influx of graduate prescribers entering community pharmacy, increasing its clinical capability. However, this will also create a greater demand for designated prescribing practitioners needed to supervise trainee pharmacists and could lead to a bottleneck with not enough experienced prescribers available to mentor.

“Other shifts we’re likely to see next year include efforts to maximise the contribution from pharmacy technicians to enable pharmacists to spend a greater proportion of their time delivering patient-facing clinical services, with the beginnings of a shift towards more patients choosing to use local pharmacy services for diagnosis and treatment of some minor conditions.”

Michelle Riddalls OBE, PAGB

“2026 looks to be a defining year for pharmacy. Following publication of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, pharmacies are set to play an increasingly pivotal role as services shift from hospital to community with the push for neighbourhood health services. The over-the-counter sector can support self-care, delivering positive outcomes and easing pressure across the wider system, and pharmacists are well positioned to contribute to prevention and early intervention, with scope to enhance this in 2026. 

“We would also welcome more POM to P reclassifications, reducing NHS prescribing levels and costs. PAGB, MHRA and members are refining the process to widen access to new medicinal products.”

Andrew Caplan, Well Pharmacy

“Across the UK, there is clear evidence of what the direction of travel can be when the right support is in place. Wales is setting a strong benchmark through its Gold Standard PIPS, with prescribing embedded in care pathways. Scotland is moving forward with an activity fee.

“England presents a more complicated picture. The IP Pathfinder programme took considerable time to establish and questions remain about how integrated care boards (ICBs) will sustain the investment required. Without firm planning and a consistent national framework, access will vary by region. Labour’s neighbourhood health services present an opportunity to accelerate a collaborative model of care that places community pharmacy at the heart of neighbourhood teams, but a national approach is needed so pharmacy is fully embedded.” 

Harry McQuillan, Numark

“As we look ahead to 2026, community pharmacy stands at a pivotal moment, where funding pressures, closures, workforce shortages and political change intersect with the opportunity to reshape our role. 

“Investment in digital capability should allow community pharmacy to demonstrate value through data-driven delivery and help reverse closures. The move toward hub and spoke can free up teams for clinical services when implemented safely, and Numark is exploring a hub and spoke solution for members. My prediction is that 2026 will see stronger national consistency in NHS-funded services, delivered through a data-enabled, resilient local network.”

Sima Jassall, Optum UK 

“With the proposed expansion of Pharmacy First, the government’s NHS 10 Year Plan and the introduction of a community pharmacy independent prescribing framework, pharmacy is poised to play an even more significant role in 2026 – but technology needs to come in, and online clinical checks, barcode scanning and appointment booking systems will be vital.

“The financial uplift in the contractual framework is welcomed, but future funding increases are essential. Investment in consultation spaces, automation and workforce training will be needed to sustain expanded services.” 

Tracey Robertson, Cegedim Rx

“For me, 2026 is the year pharmacy pairs smart automation with smart communication. Automation in dispensing is now expected. The real differentiator will be how well pharmacies connect that efficiency to their patient experience. The pharmacies that thrive will run smoothly, stay visible, communicate clearly and make data-led decisions.

“The long-term NHS plan makes it clear that clinical services aren’t optional, and technology will be the catalyst. The recent Budget’s £300m for NHS tech is a strong signal, and with the proposed expansion of services, tech will need to carry more of the operational load.” 

Mark Pedder, HubRx and Pharmacy+Health

“In 2026 we’ll see more pharmacies radically changing how they manage their dispensing volumes, rather than waiting and hoping remuneration will reach the level it deserves.

“A central part of the NHS 10 Year Plan is that community pharmacy takes on more clinical care responsibilities, but it’s only achievable if they can release the vast amount of time, energy and money tied up in stock needed to keep up with high dispensing demand, and free up the physical space necessary for multiple consultation areas. That’s the driving force behind us creating HubRx for independent pharmacies. Otherwise, I fear we’ll see more pharmacies closing for good.” 

Reena Barai, SG Barai Pharmacy in Sutton

“If I’m in a glass half-full mood, I hope for the launch of a community pharmacy independent prescribing (IP) service, building on the success of the IP pathfinder programme. Newly qualified pharmacists who will enter the register in 2026 will be able to use their newfound skills in a community pharmacy setting, allowing us to successfully recruit and retain staff, support patients in a different way and develop our skills.

“If I’m in a glass half-empty mood, I predict yet more uncertainty, change and financial worry. We are doing more work than ever, patient expectations are greater than ever and we are more burnt out than ever. None of this adds up to a good news story for 2026.” 

Martin Bennett, Wicker Pharmacy

“I can confidently predict that 2026 will see ‘pharmacy at the crossroads’ yet again. In good years I might think pharmacy has moved forward and it’s a new set of crossroads. In bad years I think we may have reversed back, but most of the time we appear to be on a circular path or coiling gently upwards, and more recently on a financial helter-skelter heading downwards.

“My hope is that during 2026 our journey to oblivion will be reversed. For that to happen, as well as increased funding, we will need to change the way community pharmacies operate.” 

Mike Holden, MH Associates

“The NHS 10-year plan could create more opportunities if national action through a single vision can leverage the shift out of hospital into community, analogue to digital and a greater focus on prevention. There must be action at a local level with local pharmaceutical committees working with reformed ICBs and contractors collaborating within neighbourhood health teams.

“The future must be based on an appropriately funded and restructured contractual framework and a better reimbursement system. However, every owner must have their own business plan, as national negotiations may take years. Some owners are creating opportunities through innovation and a shift to a hybrid service model with less reliance on unprofitable NHS services. Unfortunately, many do not have a cohesive plan.” 

Jonathan Burton, Right Medicine Pharmacy 

“I think 2026 is set to be a massive year for pharmacy. We’ll see newly qualified pharmacists coming on to the register as prescribers and the challenge will be to support these practitioners through their early careers and ensure there are enough opportunities for them to put their skills to use. The scale of these challenges cannot be understated.

“In the professional leadership space, 2026 will also see the advent of the Royal College of Pharmacy. The challenge is whether we can create meaningful change in how pharmacy representative bodies and special interest groups work together and support daily practice. I’m talking about challenges a lot because none of this is easy, but behind every challenge is opportunity and I remain optimistic.” 

Mike Hewitson, Beaminster Pharmacy 

“My big wish for 2026 is a national IP service as part of the contract. For all of those sites who have been involved in the IP pathfinder this capability has been a game changer, and patients love it. All future pharmacists will be prescribers and it is really important that we have something in the national contract that they can use and develop their prescribing skills.”  

Ade Williams, M J Williams Pharmacy Group

“2026 is already shaping up to be a defining year for community pharmacy. The economic headwinds will likely still play a part, but could NHS England’s amalgamation into the Department of Health and Social Care mean community pharmacy competes with other interests that hold public prioritisation?

“With new faces in national pharmacy roles plus a new Royal College, building a ONE-PHARMACY narrative across the whole profession is vital. Do we now have that elusive oneness that eclipses individual interests, especially in community pharmacy? Strategic commissioning in the ICB context, if coupled with independent prescribers, should be an opportunity for alignment. That said, it will only work with expansive evidence-shaped ideals.”