Pharmaceutical Needs Payment

Financial Framework · 2025-26

Global Sum

The PNWP recognises the additional pharmaceutical needs arising from the age and deprivation profile of each pharmacy's patients.

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Overview

How the PNWP Is Calculated

The Pharmaceutical Needs Weighting Payment (PNWP) makes the payment for the additional pharmaceutical needs and associated workload from age and deprivation characteristics of the people using the pharmacy.

For each contractor the following has been identified:

Proportion of dispensing patients aged 60 or over

The percentage of dispensing patients with postcodes in the two most deprived quintiles according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)

These two factors are combined to produce a combined index for each pharmacy. Each pharmacy then receives a proportional share from the PNWP pool.

Example: A pharmacy may have between 65%–75% of their patients under 60 years (age index 1.2) and between 60%–80% of patients with their postcode in the most deprived quintiles (SIMD index 1.4).

The combined index is calculated as the average of the two — so for this pharmacy the combined index is 1.3.

Contractors added to the pharmaceutical list between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 inclusive will receive a proxy monthly PNWP calculated using a combined index of 1.0.

Pool Size

PNWP Funding Pool

Monthly Pool

£0.320m

Shared proportionally each month based on each pharmacy's combined index.

Annual Pool

£3.845m

Total annualised PNWP pool for 2025-26.

Index Reference

Age & SIMD Index Table

Age Band

Index

SIMD Band

Index

75% or more of patients under 60 years

1.0

40% or less of patients with postcode in the two most deprived quintiles

1.0

Between 65% and 75% of patients under 60 years

1.2

Between 40% and 60% of patients with postcode in the most deprived quintiles

1.2

Between 65% and 75% of patients under 60 years, with more 75+ than 60-74%

1.3

Between 40% and 60% of patients with postcode in the most deprived quintiles, and more in the most deprived quintile

1.3

Between 55% and 65% of patients under 60 years

1.4

Between 60% and 80% of patients with postcode in the most deprived quintiles

1.4

Between 55% and 65% of patients under 60 years, with more 75+ than 60-74%

1.5

Between 60% and 80% of patients with postcode in the most deprived quintiles and more in the most deprived quintile

1.5

Between 45% and 55% of patients under 60 years

1.6

Between 80% and 90% of patients with postcode in the most deprived quintiles

1.6

Between 45% and 55% of patients under 60 years, with more 75+ than 60-74%

1.7

Between 80% and 90% of patients with postcode in the most deprived quintiles and more in the most deprived quintile

1.7

Between 35% and 45% of patients under 60 years

1.8

More than 90% of patients with postcode in the most deprived quintiles

1.8

Less than 35% of patients under 60 years

2.0

More than 90% of patients with postcode in the most deprived quintiles and more in the most deprived quintile

2.0