Healthy Living Pharmacy (HLP)
The Healthy Living Pharmacy (HLP) framework aims to achieve a consistent provision of a broad range of health promotion interventions through community pharmacies to meet local need, improving the health and wellbeing of the local population and helping to reduce health inequalities.
All community pharmacies in England were required to become a HLP in 2020/21, this included changes to the terms of service.
Further information can be found via: Healthy Living Pharmacy – Community Pharmacy England (cpe.org.uk) & Fingertips | Department of Health and Social Care
The requirements for contractors to become a HLP or maintain HLP status are detailed in the following pages:
For pharmacies previously accredited or self declared as HLPs
- Read through the HLP section in NHSE&I’s Regulations Guidance
- Review the HLP checklist to ensure your portfolio of evidence is up-to-date and meets the requirements of the regulations.
For pharmacies that are not yet HLPs
- Read through the HLP section in NHSE&I’s Regulations Guidance
- Work through the requirements as set out in the NHSE&I Regulations Guidance and compile your evidence using the assessment of compliance template to enable you to show you meet the requirements.
- Contractors can use the HLP Evidence Portfolio Workbook (PDF) to support them to meet the requirements of the Terms of Service. All contractors will need to retain at the pharmacy a portfolio of evidence together with a completed assessment of compliance signed by a pharmacist to demonstrate that they meet the HLP requirements. The portfolio should continue to be updated with evidence of activities, such as health promotion events undertaken, to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the requirements.
- Then follow the actions to take once a contractor has met the HLP requirements.
To ensure contractors continue to meet their Terms of Service requirements, it is recommended they review their compliance against the requirements at least every 3 years
- HLP flow chart (PDF)
- CPE Briefing Holding a health promotion event/campaign
- NICE guidelines for pharmacies – promoting health and wellbeing
- Resources for LPCs and Commissioners
- Health Champions perform a really important role, advising patients/customers about health and wellbeing and signposting them to all kinds of support. Read more about the role here. People in Greater Manchester are lucky enough to have some fantastically passionate and committed Health Champions who do a fantastic job, day in and day out. This section of our website includes useful links and resources to help Health Champions in your work.
Throughout January and February 2026 we will supporting you to refresh HLP in your pharmacy and reflecting on:
- What HLP looks like in your pharmacy right now
- Whether your displays are up to date?
- Is your portfolio of evidence up to date?
- Do you still have the right number of HLP leaders and champions
- Do your team members feel confident delivering health promotion conversations?
- What updated signposting or training could help
Wherever you’re starting from, we’re here to support you. We’ll be making some support calls to pharmacies during these months so if you’d like a call or some support please get in touch.
Look out for our emails, newsletter articles and WhatsApp’s over the coming weeks as part of this campaign.
All newsletter articles will be available to view on this page:
CPGM: Refreshing HLP in your pharmacy – Introduction
Virtual Outcomes – Free training
CPPE
NPA
There are lots of places you can find useful information when advising or signposting people as part of health and wellbeing consultations.
National/Greater Manchester-wide
- Age UK
- Asthma UK
- British Heart Foundation
- Asthma and lung UK
- Brook (sexual health advice for under-25s)
- Cancer Research UK
- Diabetes UK
- Diabetes UK information prescriptions (templates you can personalise to help people manage diabetes).
- Frank (drugs and alcohol advice)
- Macmillan Cancer Support
- NHS 111 -Helping you take control of your health and wellbeing
- NHS Smokefree services & support
- NSPCC
- Patient UK
- Stroke Association
- Royal Voluntary Service – Send referrals to theroyal.voluntaryservice@nhs.net or contact 0161 871 2011
Services by locality
Bolton
Bury
- Bury Directory (Bury signposting information)
- GMMH Drug Services
- Bury Stop Smoking
- The Sexual Health Hub
Manchester
Oldham
- Mental health support and drop-in sessions – Oldham and Tameside Mind (in partnership with Healthy Minds Oldham) offer a range of services including mental health & wellbeing MOT sessions, talking therapies (IAPT) and active monitoring.
- The Sexual Health Hub
- Turning Point
Rochdale
Salford
Stockport
Tameside
- Be Well Tameside (stop-smoking, weight management, healthy eating)
- My Recovery Tameside (drug & alcohol) – run by CGL
- Mental health support & activities – Oldham Tameside & Glossop Mind
Trafford
- Trafford Directory – searchable for weight management, smoking cessation etc
- GMMH Drug Services
Wigan
