New Medicine Service (NMS) update: Depression added from 29th October 2025
From Wednesday 29th October 2025, the New Medicine Service (NMS) will expand to include depression as a new eligible therapeutic area.
This important update recognises the key role community pharmacy teams play in supporting people starting antidepressant treatment and improving adherence and outcomes.
What’s changing
The NMS Eligible Drug List and service specification have both been reviewed and updated to ensure they reflect current practice and remain clinically relevant.
Key updates include
- Removal of discontinued medicines, hospital-only medicines, and drugs with minimal community prescribing
- Addition of newer medicines approved since the last review
- Inclusion of standard wording now common across other Advanced Services (e.g. post-payment verification and record keeping)
- Clarification that sub-contracting of the NMS is not permitted
- Revised consultation timings:
-
- Intervention: now between 7–14 days after recruitment
- Follow-up: between 14–21 days after the intervention
- Flexibility remains for exceptional cases (e.g. patient on holiday)
You can view and download the draft revised service specification and updated NMS Eligible Drug List now via the NHSBSA website to familiarise yourself with the upcoming changes.
IT Systems
Pharmacy owners using an NMS-compatible IT system should:
- Expect communications from their IT supplier about required updates
- Confirm that the system will fully support the expanded service from 29th October 2025
What this means for your practice
This expansion is a great opportunity to:
- Offer more holistic patient support, particularly for those starting antidepressants
- Strengthen collaboration with GP practices and mental health services
- Enhance your clinical confidence and contribution to improving mental health outcomes in the community
Supporting patients with depression
While there is no mandatory training linked to the new therapeutic area, developing confidence in mental health consultations is strongly encouraged
Suggested learning resources
- CPPE: Consulting with people with mental health problems (~120 mins)
- Zero Suicide Alliance: Suicide Awareness Training ~30 mins)
- Pharmacy Magazine CPD: First prescriptions for depression
Local self-help resources
Further information
Need more support?
- If there is enough interest, we can arrange additional training, support sessions, or a local webinar to help prepare for the inclusion of depression in NMS. If this would be useful, please get in touch with the CPGM team enquiries@cpgm.org.uk to register your interest
