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NHS England’s budget for postgraduate pharmacy education provision will be slashed by £2.6m in 2026-27, it has been revealed.

The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education, which is part of the University of Manchester and has worked with the NHS since 1991, revealed in a statement that the health service is carrying out a “full open procurement exercise” to ensure value for money for taxpayers.

The new contract will be worth £10.11m for the first two years, £2.6m less than the £12.7 spent by CPPE in the year to April, falling to £9.75m for the following three years.

CPPE director Matthew Shaw also revealed that the number of pharmacy professionals required to complete its Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway has fallen significantly from the peak of 2,400 learners a year.

“As the number of pharmacy professionals who are required to undertake the pathway as a requirement of their role has stabilised, the NHS forecasted number of learners has reduced each year to 900 learners a year,” said Mr Shaw.

With fewer professionals requiring CPPE’s one-to-one educational supervision, there is a need for a smaller supervisor workforce and redundancies may follow even if CPPE wins the NHSE contract once more, Mr Shaw added.

He commented: “We have followed a fair selection process and have been pleased to work constructively with colleagues from the Pharmacists’ Defence Association and from the three unions recognised by The University of Manchester.

“We encourage all of our team to consider joining a representative body.

“The University of Manchester celebrated its 200^th anniversary last year and continues to offer world leading education and research.

“Its new ten-year strategy takes a particular focus on supporting continuing education and professional development and we look forward to continuing to offer access to this excellence for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across England.

The PDA commented: “In this situation at CPPE, with a significant number of roles being removed, it is expected that there will be job losses.

“The PDA will be expecting those pharmacists whose employment ends through redundancy to first receive fair treatment through a selection process, appropriate support from the employer as they then try and seek alternative employment and then to receive appropriate compensation.

“The PDA is already working with those members who have sought support, communicating with the employer and will be engaging with all members at CPPE over the coming weeks.”

The successful bidder is expected to be announced in February 2026.