Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) drug prices, (b) appliance prices and (c) fees paid to pharmacy contractors in the NHS Drug Tariff.

The Department undertakes a quarterly assessment of the adequacy of drug prices paid to community pharmacies through the ‘medicine margin survey’. The survey samples independent pharmacy contractors’ sales invoices for the medicines they dispense and compares the amount paid with the amount reimbursed by the National Health Service. This has found that more than the amount agreed as part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework has been delivered in totality across the previous four financial years.

Appliances are not included in the medicine margin survey. Pharmacy contractors are reimbursed in line with the listed appliance prices on Part IX of the NHS Drug Tariff. Suppliers should adhere to these prices as per the terms of their listing. Where the Department is made aware that a supplier is not adhering to the agreed price this is addressed with the supplier or the product is delisted from the NHS Drug Tariff.

Fees paid for the delivery of services outlined in the Drug Tariff have been agreed with Community Pharmacy England. On 25 February, the Department began the 2026/27 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework consultation with Community Pharmacy England, to consider any proposed changes to the reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors in 2026/27. An update will be provided once the consultation has been concluded.