Quality Payments scheme

The Department of Health (DH) has introduced a Quality Payments Scheme as part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework in 2017/18. This will involve payments being made to community pharmacy contractors meeting certain gateway and quality criteria

The funding for Quality Payments is taken from the overall funding for 2017/18 of £2.592 billion.

Quality Payments - An introduction and what it means for contractors


CPSC strongly encourages contractors to read all three of the NHS England guidance documents to ensure they are fully briefed on the Quality Payments Scheme. The documents are listed below:

Criteria Guidance:

  1. NHS England – Pharmacy Quality Payments Gateway Criteria Guidance (published 23rd December 2016)
  2. NHS England – Pharmacy Quality Payments Quality Criteria Guidance (published 27th February 2017)

Claim guidance:

  1. NHS England – Pharmacy Quality Payments November 2017 Claim Guidance (published 2nd October 2017)
  2. NHS England – Pharmacy Quality Payments June 2018 Claim Guidance (published 30th April 2018)
  3. NHS England - Pharmacy Quality Payments February 2019 Claim Guidance (published 26th November 2018)

Latest information:

Quality Payments - Further information and updates

PSNC News Alert - Quality Payments support for meeting the NSAID quality criterion.pdf
PSNC News Alert- Quality Payments support for meeting the asthma quality criterion.pdf
Quality Payments Scheme 2018-19 (PSNC summary of 2nd payment changes).pdf
Quality Payments - DoS Profile Updater now available.pdf
Quality Payments learning resources from CPPE.pdf
PSNC News Update - Quality Payments review date, CPAF deadline extended....pdf
NHS England - South (Wessex) - Ref 381.pdf
Adding Bank Holidays to the NHS website.pdf
Quality Payments Scheme 2018-19 (PSNC summary of 'Interim' changes).pdf
Quality Pharmacy scheme infographic April - Nov 2017.pdf
PSNC Special Newsletter QP - 2017.10.pdf
Newsletter 2017.04 QP edition.pdf

Quality Payments - Other news

Quality Payments Scheme support & resources from PSNC and publication of the NHS England guidance document for the February 2019 review date

Quality Payments Scheme learning resources from Pharmacy Complete

Pharmacy Complete HLP newsletter 2018.06 (QPS edition)

PSNC Guidance & Resources June 2018

PSNC FAQs June 2018

PSNC more FAQs June 2018

PharmOutcomes framework for June 2018

PSNC Quality Payments 2017-18 reconciliation payment estimate (25th March 2018)

Quality Payments - Webinar

Updated guidance for existing HLPs

Quality Payments - First review period deadline approaching