Emergency Supply of Medicines (at NHS Expense)

Published on: 29th May 2015 | Updated on: 15th March 2022

Examples of this service that have been commissioned locally are available on the Community Pharmacy England online services database.

Tools and publications which may be useful to support the commissioning of this service can be found on the Service development tools and publications hub.


Click on a heading below for more information. 

Template service specification

In 2013 Community Pharmacy England worked with NHS England and other organisations to develop three service offerings to support local commissioners during the winter pressures period. Emergency supply (at NHS Expense) was one of these services and a template service specification and associated documentation to support implementation and provision of the service were developed.

A draft template service specification is also available that has not been nationally agreed and is not the final version; however, it may be used to inform local discussions on service development.

Community Pharmacy England resources

Community Pharmacy England Services Case Studies Hub

Community Pharmacy England Think Pharmacy prospectus: emergency supply service (Feb 2016)

Community Pharmacy England Briefing 044/15: Analysis of Emergency Supply services – commissioned during 2014/15 in England (August 2015)
Following an email survey and a review of Emergency Supply of Medicines at NHS Expense (Emergency Supply) service specifications and other associated documents, Community Pharmacy England has conducted an analysis on the different services commissioned across England during 2014/15.

This Community Pharmacy England Briefing provides a summary of this analysis which may be of particular interest to LPCs developing proposals for an emergency supply of medicines at NHS expense service in their area or those who are reviewing their existing service.

Other resources

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