About the Review

David Wright, Professor of Pharmacy Practice from the School of Pharmacy at the University of East Anglia led an independent review of the roles and structures underpinning PSNC and the LPCs. The review’s purpose was to find ways to optimise PSNC and LPC contractor representation and support to ensure that the national network structure is working as efficiently for contractors as it can and is fit for the future.

The findings and recommendations of the review were published in June 2020.

Since then The Review Steering Group has been set up to prioritise and commission work in order to explore a change programme for the sector. The RSG will provide oversight of any commissioned work and will engage with and put proposals to the sector.

If you have any queries or comments about the review, please email review@pharmacy-review.org

Overview of the Independent Review

Terms of Reference

Review and Objectives Plan

The Steering Committee

The review was headed by an independent Chair, Professor David Wright, supported by a national steering committee. The committee ensured ongoing visibility of the review’s progress and provide a communications conduit for all stakeholders.

The remit of the committee was as follows:

To oversee the delivery of the independent review from data collection, to data synthesis and final report provision.
To direct and support external communication regarding the process
To ensure that the final report answers the following questions:

What is working well in LPCs and PSNC and what could be improved?
What representation and support is needed by contractors now – and what is the future requirement likely to be?
What are the most effective structures for current and future demand?
How should the representation and support for contractors be financed?
What is the best structure to ensure all contractors are represented well?
What, if any, changes are needed now and over the life of the new Contractual Framework and beyond?

Its membership

Type of Member	Name (Declarations of Interest)
Independent Chair	Professor David Wright (DOI)
LPC Representatives	David Bearman (DOI) Ruth Buchan (DOI) Vicki Roberts (DOI) Shilpa Shah (DOI)
Contractor Representatives (Multiple)	Mark Ireland (DOI) Adrian Price (DOI)
Contractor Representatives (Independents)	Asif Alidina (DOI) Reena Barai (DOI)
Contractor Representative (non-CCA multiple)	Peter Cattee (DOI)
PSNC Representative	PSNC Chief Executive Simon Dukes (DOI)
Local Optical Committee (LOC) Representative	Richard Whittington (DOI)
NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) Representative	Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Bruce Warner or other representative

Engagement with stakeholders

The review team heard from LPCs and contractors. A series of focus groups were held in January 2020 and national surveys and more in-depth interviews were held in February 2020.