CPS Snapshot - 4th May 2026

Published: 7th May 2026

This week’s CPS Snapshot highlights the wide range of work taking place across Community Pharmacy Scotland, from shaping the future of digital prescribing and Pharmacy First, to supporting research, collaboration and service development across the sector.

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• Spent time with a PMR supplier to help them understand the Scottish community pharmacy landscape and what's due to change in the coming years

• Met with a research team who are making a funding bid to investigate how digital innovation could improve the patient and pharmacy team experience of the Gluten-free foods service. Of particular interest was support to ensure that the annual health check is completed and onward referrals made where necessary.

• The subgroup of the CPS Board looking at the future of Pharmacy First met for the second time, and will report in to the wider Board at next week's May meeting.

• We hosted our informal IP employee evening call, which occurs every second month for employees of CPS members and provides a space to share experiences of delivering Pharmacy First Plus amongst peers. We had a great range of experienced pharmacists and a few who are just about to establish the service, and it was great to see and hear best practice being shared.

• Our biannual CPS Council meeting is just around the corner, so plans are in full swing to support members in getting the most out of the day.

• We had our monthly day of catching up with our colleagues at the GPhC, NPA, Scottish Government, Royal College of Pharmacy and Health Boards. Common topics were prescribing implementation and the new consultation from the GPhC which proposes changes to how international pharmacists can join the register. We will take our draft response to our Board in the summer for signoff, publishing it in this newsletter so that you can see what we have to say!

• We continue to work as part of the Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways (DPDP, paperless prescribing) team. April was very exciting, as we can now say that the system is now in construction - keep your eyes peeled here for much more on this as we go forward.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is the purpose of the CPS Snapshot?

  The CPS Snapshot provides members with a regular overview of the work Community Pharmacy Scotland is undertaking on behalf of the sector. It highlights engagement with stakeholders, policy development, service improvement work and ongoing projects that support community pharmacy in Scotland.

• What is happening with the Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways (DPDP) project?

  CPS continues to work closely with partners on the Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways project, also known as paperless prescribing. The project has now moved into the construction phase, marking an important milestone in the development of future digital prescribing systems for community pharmacy.

• Why is CPS focusing on Pharmacy First and prescribing implementation?

  Pharmacy First and independent prescribing are key areas of development for the future of community pharmacy services in Scotland. CPS is working with members, stakeholders and partner organisations to help shape how these services are implemented, ensuring they are sustainable, effective and beneficial for both patients and pharmacy teams.