A new funding package for pharmacy funding in England may be implemented from 1 December, PSNC has been told by the Department of Health.

PSNC is to re-start negotiations for pharmacy funding 2016/17 and beyond, with a tight schedule dictated by DH that aims to announce plans “mid-October” and be in place in less than three month’s time.

Priority in negotiations will be to secure the best possible outcome for community pharmacy contractors said PSNC.

Chief executive Sue Sharpe said: “We are looking to the government to take a new approach, informed by evidence of the value of the sector to the communities we support. Community pharmacy is willing to develop its service to meet future needs, and we need the government to abandon the ill-informed and damaging proposals.”

Following recent comments from pharmacy minister David Mowat it had been hoped that more time would be allowed for the DH to re-consider in detail decisions made on pharmacy funding cuts in December 2015, which were originally intended to be introduced next month.