The Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) is part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF).
It supports delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan and rewards community pharmacy contractors that demonstrate excellent:
- clinical effectiveness
- patient safety
- patient experience
Details of the PQS are in Part VIIA of the Drug Tariff.
Gateway criteria
To qualify for the PQS 2025/26 payment, you must meet all the gateway criteria in Table 1 of Part VIIA of the Drug Tariff by the end of 31 August 2025.
You must claim payment for the PQS 2025/26 between 9am on 2 February 2026 and 11:59pm on 27 February 2026. This is known as the ‘declaration period’.
Just meeting the gateway criteria will not earn a PQS payment. These payments are also subject to the payment conditions relating to the domains, which are made up of the quality criteria set out in section 2.
Domains
Pharmacy contractors who have met all the gateway criteria will receive a PQS payment if they declared as having met and have evidence demonstrating meeting one or more of the domains in Table 2.
Contractors must meet all the criteria in a domain to be eligible for a PQS payment for that domain. More information can be found in Table 2 of Part VIIA of the Drug Tariff.
The overall amount of the PQS payment will depend on how many of the domains the pharmacy contractor declares it meets.
Aspiration payment
You'll be able to claim an aspiration payment. The aspiration payment is optional for pharmacy contractors. Not claiming it will not impact on your ability to claim payment for PQS 2025/26.
You'll need to make a declaration on Manage your service (MYS) and say which domains you intend to achieve before the end of the declaration period. The aspiration payment must be claimed between 9am on 1 May 2025 to 11:59pm on 16 May 2025. Payment will be made on 1 July 2025.
Claiming payment
Pharmacy contractors will need to make a declaration to the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) using the MYS application withing the declaration period.
No late submissions will be accepted.
Contractors send evidence to demonstrate meeting the gateway criteria and the domains that they have claimed for by the end of 31 March 2026.
Payment for the PQS will show on your schedule of payments in the ‘Details of other amounts authorised’ section.