We have launched a consultation on proposals to increase the entry and yearly renewal fees for July 2019 to July 2020. This consultation is open until 24 January 2019.
We are proposing to increase the entry and yearly renewal fees for:
- pharmacists by £7 from £250 to £257
- pharmacy technicians by £3 from £118 to £121
- pharmacy premises by £21 from £241 to £262
We know that our fees have an impact on the finances of pharmacy professionals and registered pharmacies. And we recognise that pharmacy professionals and pharmacies are facing increases in their workloads, growing costs, and funding challenges. As a result, we only propose fee increases when they are necessary.
This is the first time we have proposed an increase in our fees since 2015, and the proposed fees for pharmacy professionals are still lower than the fees we charged in 2011.
Over the last few years, we have been able to carry out our regulatory duties without increasing our fees. We have achieved this by sustained efficiency improvements and by using some of the financial reserves we held to cover the gap between our income and our outgoings. But as we continue to see increases in our workload and costs, we now need additional income to make sure we have enough funds to carry out our regulatory functions in 2019-20.
Our Council has also agreed that we will undertake a comprehensive review of our costs and fees and develop a sustainable and longer-term financial strategy. They will carefully consider the feedback we receive through the consultation in March 2019 and use what we hear to decide on the final fees we will set for July 2019- July 2020.
We hope you will respond to the consultation and we look forward to hearing your feedback.