399 - NHS Primary Care Bulletin - 23 July 2026

Introduction

This article summarises the NHS England Primary Care Bulletin for 23 July 2026, the weekly email update for teams in general practice, dentistry, community pharmacy, and optometry.

Main themes of the week

This week’s bulletin covers critical updates on winter planning for 2026/27, the discontinuation of a diabetes medication, and eligibility criteria for the time-limited MenB vaccination programme.

Primary care updates

Winter planning 2026/27 – expectations and assurance

NHS England has released a letter outlining the national approach to winter 2026/27. It details necessary actions for NHS and local government, including that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) must complete draft winter plans by the end of August. These plans will be tested during regional stress test exercises in September, focusing on ensuring sufficient capacity across the primary care system for urgent appointments and seasonal vaccination campaigns.

Update on propranolol 80mg and 160mg MR capsules medicine supply issue

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has addressed the ongoing shortage of propranolol modified-release capsules. For the latest information on this supply issue, including alternative treatment advice, see shortage of Propranolol 80mg and 160mg modified release capsules. Additionally, guidance on unlicensed imports is available here. Clinicians should monitor the specialist pharmacy service (SPS) medicines supply tool for updates.

Consultation on proposals for single and multi-neighbourhood provider contracts: share feedback

A consultation has been launched to gather feedback on new contracts for single and multi-neighbourhood providers. The consultation aims to make commissioning neighbourhood health services more manageable. It will run for eight weeks, and responses will inform future proposals.

Reminder to sign up to the seasonal vaccination service for the autumn/winter campaign 2026/27

General practices and community pharmacies that have not yet registered for the upcoming COVID-19 and flu campaigns must do so by 31 July 2026 to ensure timely vaccine delivery. The enhanced service specification is available here.

General practice updates

Diabetes drug being discontinued

Levemir, a diabetes medication, will be withdrawn, with availability expected to end by December 2026. Prescribers are advised not to initiate Levemir for new patients and to transition current patients to alternative insulins as part of a planned review, considering the supply situation of alternatives. Relevant guidance can be found in the ABCD/PCDO national guidance.

New GMS, PMS and APMS standard contracts and variations published

NHS England has published new standard general medical services (GMS), personal medical services (PMS) and alternative provider medical services (APMS) contracts, which include updates following changes to contract regulations in June 2026.

Learning from a prevention of future deaths report

A recent prevention of future deaths report underscores the necessity of effective communication and continuity of care among NHS and independent providers. Practices are encouraged to establish clear communication channels regarding prescribing responsibilities.

Same-day appointments in general practice for clinically urgent patients – frequently asked questions available

The 2026/27 general practice contract stipulates that clinically urgent requests must be addressed on the same day. Guidance on recording same-day appointments and a national category mapping quick guide are now available. A frequently asked questions guide and a webinar recording on same-day appointments can also be accessed.

Community pharmacy updates

Time limited MenB vaccination programme eligibility criteria

Providers involved in the MenB vaccination programme are reminded to review the eligibility criteria outlined in the bipartite letter. Only eligible individuals can book appointments via the national booking service.

Reminder: the pharmacy quality scheme 2026/27 aspiration payment declaration period closes soon

Community pharmacy contractors must submit their aspiration payment declarations before 11.59pm on 28 July 2026 through the manage your service (MYS) portal. More details on the PQS requirements can be found on the NHS website.

Get involved

Make the most of the free BMJ Best Practice app

NHS staff can access the BMJ Best Practice app for high-quality clinical information. NHS email users can log in instantly or use an NHS OpenAthens account. The app is also available on Apple and Android devices.

New sickle cell and thalassaemia eLearning resources

NHS England has introduced new eLearning resources to enhance understanding of sickle cell and thalassaemia. Two webinars will be held to discuss these resources, with dates available for thalassaemia and sickle cell discussions.

Upcoming webinars and events

Upcoming webinars include:

• NHS App national webinar on 29 July Register here

• Procurement regulations and what they mean for medicines on 22 July More info

• Polypharmacy masterclass on 29 July More info

• Developing aspirant palliative care programme on 30 July More info

• Structured medication reviews on 4 August More info

• AI & putting people first meeting on 2 September More info

Catch up

If you have missed any recent national webinars, you can view the slides and recordings of the General Practice webinars.

Content in this article is drawn from the NHS England Primary Care Bulletin. Patient.info edits and formats the updates to provide a clear, accessible archive for professionals. View the original email here.