The Review Steering Group (RSG) notes and welcomes the decision by PSNC to postpone its elections until early in 2023. The decision follows communications from the RSG about our draft workplan and high-level timeline for change. 

Read the PSNC Announcement on Elections

The RSG is overseeing what we expect will amount to a significant change programme for both PSNC and the LPCs, for the benefit of community pharmacy contractors.  

We are currently consulting with key stakeholders on our draft workplan, programme principles and high-level timeline, and we will present final versions to the sector at an event on Monday 14 June. This will mark the start of a significant amount of work over the coming months to shape our proposals for new models of contractor representation and support, working with the sector. 

Click here to register for the RSG Event on June 14

Under our current draft timeline, which LPCs and the Contractor Forum have fed back on this week, following input from national pharmacy bodies, we expect to put a proposal for change to contractors at the end of 2021, and to move into an implementation and roll-out phase in 2022.  

PSNC and LPC elections at this critical point in the process could be disruptive to progress, as well as a distraction. Any elected candidates may also serve for only a very short term, depending on any structural change options that are agreed as part of the RSG’s work programme.   

We hope that the vast majority of LPCs will follow PSNC’s lead and also postpone their elections. This is a sensible preparatory step to take, with significant change ahead.  

An RSG Spokesperson said: 

“The RSG is pleased that PSNC has decided to postpone its elections in light of our proposed work timetable and we take this as a welcome signal that the Committee is committed to change and improvement. The move will reduce burden on PSNC, LPCs and contractors, at a time when we will all need to be focusing on the future and on making changes that work better for contractors. 

We hope that many LPCs will take similar decisions, and would encourage contractors to vote for this, and we look forward to working ever more closely with contractors, LPCs and PSNC, during the work ahead to design better models for contractor representation and support. We are looking forward to presenting our final principles, workplan and high-level timeline to the sector in June, which will enable us to move forward into work on the development of proposals for change.”