In September 2026 we will see the first cohort of MPharm graduates to become prescribers at the point of registration.

They will have learned the science of being a prescriber during their undergraduate education and undertake practical experience and prescribing supervision during their foundation year. They follow in the footsteps of those independent prescribers (IPs) who trained following registration. 

Some services in community pharmacy already utilise independent prescribing. These have mainly been private services focusing on areas such as aesthetics, travel and weight management.

There have been some bespoke NHS services that have been used to expand access, building on Pharmacy First, prescribing for patients that are excluded from the Patient Group Directions (PGDs). 

As we work towards a critical mass of prescribers, as the proportion of pharmacists working in community pharmacy who are prescribers increases, there will be an expansion of services that utilise prescribing.

Alongside extending access to Pharmacy First, pharmacists may look after people with long-term conditions; monitoring doses or changing treatment to meet the patients’ needs.

These services, and the IPs who deliver them need to be managed. Business managers need to ensure that services are high quality, safe and profitable.

This management may be undertaken by a non-prescriber and a balance needs to be found between the individual accountabilities of a prescriber with the accountabilities of a business manager.