Express an interest in delivering services in your community pharmacy

We intend to continue commissioning public health services through community pharmacies across North Somerset. 

From 1 April 2026, new direct contracts will be issued by the Healthy and Sustainable Communities Directorate at North Somerset Council. Contracts will run for five years until 31 March 2031 with an optional two-year extension to 31 March 2033.

• support to stop smoking
• substance misuse services:
  • supervised consumption of opiate substitute treatment
  • pharmacy needle exchange (PNEX)

Smoking cessation service

Pharmacies offering this service aim to reduce smoking in North Somerset by providing adequate and timely access to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

They will do this by:

• distributing NRT vouchers to eligible individuals including smokers who express a desire to quit and meet eligibility criteria
• processing and dispensing vouchers sent by Smokefree North Somerset and its partners via secure email
• ensuring accurate and timely inputting of data in PharmOutcomes and claims for stop smoking activity and pharmacotherapy

Supervised consumption of opiate substitute treatment 

This service ensures safe and effective medication use by:

• optimising prescribed medication levels
• supporting correct and compliant consumption
• monitoring for and responding to adverse reactions
• preventing diversion and misuse
• minimising the risk of stockpiling
• reducing the chance of accidental or unintended intake

Pharmacy needle exchange (PNEX) 

This service supports harm reduction for injecting drug users by:

• providing clean injecting equipment and related paraphernalia
• enabling safe collection and disposal of injecting waste
• promoting Naloxone training and encouraging its use and carriage
• engaging with treatment-naïve and hard-to-reach individuals with referral into treatment where possible

Review the service specification documents to understand the requirements for each service and complete the expression of interest form.

Email your completed form to healthandcare.ph@n-somerset.gov.uk by 31 December 2025.

Public health will review your form and contact you if any clarification is needed.

If you are eligible

If eligible, you will receive written confirmation by January 2026.

We will send you a contract outlining the service requirements and monitoring arrangements. You will need to review, sign and date the contract, and return it to healthandcare.ph@n-somerset.gov.uk.

Approved services may begin from 1 April 2026.

If you have any questions about completing the expression of interest form or about any of the services, email healthandcare.ph@n-somerset.gov.uk. A member of our public health team will respond.

Thank you for your interest.