Key Contacts for Contractors

In order to support contractors and ensure you are able to quickly find relevant key contacts and useful pharmacy information, we have compiled a list of key pharmacy processes and important contact details you can use.

GM Primary Care Contacts (for incidents, waste management issues, queries and patient complaints)

For GM Primary Care contact information, please visit our dedicated page

Patient Returned Waste Medicines Collection

For all queries and concerns regarding Waste Medicines Collection, please email england.gmtop@nhs.net

Controlled Drugs 

To report any incidents regarding controlled drugs, please visit the NHS Controlled Drugs page.

This website can be used to:

• Report an incident relating to controlled drugs
• Report a concern relating to controlled drugs
• Complete a controlled drug declaration
• Apply to be a temporary authorised witness to witness the destruction of controlled drugs
• Record controlled drugs that have been destroyed

Drug Safety and MHRA alerts

Contractor & Patient Complaints 

Contractor/professional complaints

If you have an issue with a Pharmacy contractor or other NHS professional in GM that needs resolution;

1. We advise you to contact the contractor in the first instance ensuring you have recorded the dates and times of attempted communications with phone and email records. (For e.g Patient nomination issues, interface issues)
2. If the issue is not resolved, we request that you complete the attached proforma and send to England.gmtop@nhs.net
3. Please email enquiries@gmlpc.org.uk if you need any advice or support.

If the issue is related to a patient complaint – please direct the patient complaint to the contact points below.

Please direct to the contact details below:

By post to: NHS England. PO Box 16738. Redditch. B97 9PT.

By email to: england.contactus@nhs.net

By telephone: 0300 311 22 33.  Opening hours are 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday, except Wednesdays when we open at the later time of 9.30am. Closed on bank holidays.

Market Entry

You can also check the status of any application by logging onto the PCSE portal.

In order to raise any issues please visit the PCSE Contact Us page and complete the enquiries form.

Information relating to pharmacy consolidations (mergers) can be found here

Further information relating to market entry can be found on the PSNC website

Changing your Pharmacy Opening Hours

To make an application to change opening hours please contact the  NHS GM Primary Care team at england.gmtop@nhs.net

Unplanned Temporary Closures for Reasons Beyond a Contractor’s Control

The current workforce pressures are leading to unplanned temporary closures that are beyond contractors’ control. In these circumstances, if contractors follow appropriate procedures to mitigate the effects of the closure on patients, the public, the NHS, and other community pharmacy contractors, they should avoid breaching their terms of service.

The procedures – as well as closing the premises and restricting entry/access – include the following:

1. Notifying NHS England as soon as practical: There is an unplanned temporary suspension of services notification form which contractors should complete to notify NHS England of the temporary closure and the reasons for it.
2. Updating the Directory of Services (DoS) and NHS website entries: Using NHS Profile Manager, contractors must update their DoS and the NHS website entries to ensure that they provide accurate information of the pharmacy’s opening hours to patients, the public, and other relevant NHS service providers.
3. Trying to re-open the pharmacy: Contractors must use all reasonable endeavours to re-open and provide NHS pharmacy services as soon as practicable.
4. Making alternative arrangements for the provision of NHS pharmacy services: Contractors must, where practicable, make alternative arrangements with one or more pharmacies in the area, for the ongoing provision of NHS pharmacy services.

Further information can be found here.

Managing a Temporary Pharmacy Closure

If an emergency situation means a pharmacy closure for a short term, there are actions a contractor needs to undertake to ensure patients are able to access their prescriptions and that the contractor’s business can resume easily and effectively once the emergency has passed.

The following PSNC Briefing provides guidance on planning which can be undertaken, as part of business continuity planning, in advance of an emergency closure and actions that should be considered in the event of a closure: PSNC Briefing 024/22: Emergency closure checklist for community pharmacy – PSNC Website

Where a pharmacy has to temporarily close, the following poster can be used to inform patients:

Pharmacy closed poster (PDF) 

Pharmacy closed poster (Word)

Other local pharmacies will probably become busier due to the temporary closure of a pharmacy and the following poster can be displayed to explain this to patients:

Poster for pharmacies being affected by a local closure (PDF)

Poster for pharmacies being affected by a local closure (Word)

Greater Manchester Primary Care Provider Board (PCB)

Other key contacts