1Trevelyan Square

Boar Lane
Leeds
LS1 6AE
Tel: 0300 303 5678
Fax: 0113 254 7239
enquiries@hscic.gov.uk
www.hscic.gov.uk

7th April 2016

Our ref: NIC-23443-C5G7F
Dear
Re: Information Request Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000
I can confirm that the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) has considered your
request dated the 17th March 2016.
1. I would like to obtain a list of distance selling pharmacies i.e. pharmacies that have been granted
a distance selling contract from the NHS and have been added to the pharmaceutical list under
regulations.
2. I have checked the NHS Choice website and there is a list of Internet Pharmacies but I am unsure
if the pharmacies listed have distance selling contracts as opposed to a pharmacy that is selling
items online or a brick and mortar pharmacy that also has an online presence.
Could I be provided with a list of pharmacies that have been granted a distance selling contract. I am
assuming there must be some kind of register.
3. Could you confirm or not what criteria was used to identify the internet pharmacies placed on the
NHS Choices website - http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/pharmacies/internetpharmacies
1. The total number of pharmacies in England that have been providing services as a distance selling
contractor is published in Table 7 of the General Pharmaceutical Services publication. Here is the link
to the latest publication 2005/06 to 2014/15:http://www.hscic.gov.uk/pubs/genphasernov15
2. The HSCIC collects the above aggregated information annually from NHS England. NHS England
manages the pharmaceutical list under the regulations and will be able to provide information on
which individual pharmacies have been granted a distance selling contract. Please find their contact
details below:
england.contactus@nhs.net
3. The Internet Pharmacy list consists of pharmacies that provide Internet only services. It has
been compiled over time using information provided by the pharmacy organisation or member of the
public. In all cases NHS Choices validates to ensure that the information is accurate before adding
to the list. Pharmacy practice data is sourced from the NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) who
provides a weekly data extract to NHS Choices. For an organisation to be included in NHS Choices
our pharmacy directory, either as high street pharmacy or Internet pharmacy, they have to be active
in the BSA data extract. Further information may be available by contacting the BSA:
nhsbsa.prescriptionservices@nhs.net
In line with the Information Commissioners directive on the disclosure of information under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 your request will form part of our disclosure log. Therefore, a
version of our response which will protect your anonymity will be posted on the HSCIC website.

I trust you are satisfied with our response to your request for information. However, if you are not
satisfied, you may request a review from a suitably qualified member of staff not involved in the initial
query, via the enquiries@hscic.gov.uk e mail address or by post at the above postal address.
Yours sincerely,

Higher Information Governance Officer

Further information about your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act is available from the
Information Commissioners Office, Wilmslow, Cheshire, and on The Information Commissioners website
www.ico.org.uk.
The Health and Social Care Information Centre values customer feedback and would appreciate a moment of
your time to respond to our Freedom of Information (FOI) Survey to let us know about your experience. Please
access the survey through this link
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HSCIC_FOI_Feedback