CPS Manifesto 2026: Investing In Pharmacy Services
Published: 18/12/25
As the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections approach, CPS is promoting its Manifesto to secure investment in NHS Pharmacy First Scotland. With rising demand, expanded prescribing services, and ambitious plans for the 2030s, the network needs resources to deliver enhanced care.
As we edge closer to the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections, the CPS team are ramping up the promotion of our Manifesto, which outlines how we believe the community pharmacy network can build on the success of clinical patient services such as NHS Pharmacy First Scotland.
In the past financial year, 36% of the population accessed a consultation for their minor illness at least once – a 56% increase in delivery in just three years. Whilst the service has continuously evolved to offer the people of Scotland more (not least in terms of the independent prescribing element now being available in over 40% of pharmacies), there is also a clear rise in demand for our teams’ expert advice and care.
To continue to meet this level of demand, the service needs fresh investment. We often see and hear the different ways in which pharmacy teams are organising themselves around being their community’s first port of call for advice for minor illness, and this should be supported across the whole network to allow us to confidently fill this increasingly prominent role. We are well on track to have all pharmacies with an active prescriber delivering IP services on behalf of the NHS as we approach the 2030s, unlocking the potential to truly change care pathways and maintain Scotland’s reputation for excellence in community pharmacy services. We will soon reach a tipping point where more communities than not will have crucial access to enhanced care, close to home and delivered by a team they know and trust.
However, to free up Pharmacist time and deliver the best possible outcomes for the NHS and the people of Scotland, a mix of technology, people investment and premises improvements will have to be implemented and paid for. That’s why we have NHS Pharmacy First front and centre in our Manifesto, the possibilities are endless, but only if they are well resourced!
CPS Manifesto 2026 - Treat - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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It outlines how community pharmacy can build on NHS Pharmacy First Scotland’s success and calls for investment to meet rising demand.
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To support technology, workforce, and premises improvements, freeing up pharmacists’ time and enhancing patient care.
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6% of the population accessed consultations last year, a 56% increase in three years. Over 40% of pharmacies now offer independent prescribing.
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By the 2030s, all pharmacies will have active prescribers delivering Independent Prescribing (IP) services, transforming care pathways across Scotland.
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Leading up to the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections, with events and stakeholder engagement throughout 2025–2026.
The programme (Supporting documents - Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 - gov.scot) proposes radical reshaping of Scotland’s public services, focusing on structural reform rather than just new spending or isolated policy pledges.