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NHS England has increased the amount of money primary care networks can spend on recruiting staff including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians through the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS).

The terms for 2025-26 allocates £66,972 nationally for PCNs to employ what NHSE describes as a “clinical pharmacist”, increasing to £77,545 and £74,392 in inner and outer London respectively.

In 2024-25, PCNs were given £65,838 to recruit a pharmacist nationally and £76,313 and £73,189 in inner and outer London respectively.

This year, PCNs will have £43,352 to recruit a pharmacy technician compared with £42,437 in 2024-25. That has also increased in inner and outer London, with £52,172 and £49,967 available respectively.

The terms were laid out as part of the latest Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service which was introduced in July 2019 and sets out the requirements and entitlements for PCNs.

More money has also been made available to recruit an advanced pharmacy practitioner in 2025-26, with £73,334 allocated on a national level and £83,907 and £80,754 allocated for inner and outer London respectively.