Published: 14th May 2026
CPS held their Council meeting on Wednesday 13th May at the Dalmahoy Hotel on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The council meetings, held each May and November, enable wide‑ranging discussions around policy and other matters, helping plot the direction of travel for CPS and the wider community pharmacy network.
During the meeting this week after the opening presentations, an interactive workshop aimed to discuss and define NHS Scotland Pharmacy First and Pharmacy First Plus. This session provoked some excellent discussion points and provided clarity on what is important to Council members and their teams.
Later in the day, we were pleased to have guest speaker Christine Gilmour in attendance, who gave an insightful presentation on the work around the Transforming Roles programme that has been commissioned by the Scottish Government’s pharmacy workforce forum. Christine talked the room through the work that has been done so far, followed by a discussion with Council members on how they see community pharmacy’s place in this work. Christine has led on the writing of these papers and her presentation gave Council a much better understanding of what this work could potentially mean for Community Pharmacy.
CPS Chair, Martin Green then closed the day by giving an update on the current finances and structure of the Community Pharmacy contract.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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It is a bi‑annual meeting that brings together Council members to discuss policy and other issues affecting community pharmacy.
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They take place twice a year, in May and November.
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At the Dalmahoy Hotel, on the outskirts of Edinburgh.
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Key topics included Pharmacy First, Pharmacy First Plus, workforce transformation and updates on the Community Pharmacy contract.
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Christine Gilmour spoke about the Transforming Roles programme.
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They help inform CPS thinking and support discussion on the future direction of community pharmacy in Scotland.
We would like to signpost everyone to this part of the Scottish Drug Tariff.