The Single National Formulary – Balancing national consistency with local clinical realities

‘The success of the SNF will be measured by whether patients benefit from fairer access, faster uptake, better outcomes.’

At PM Healthcare’s ICB/ICS Development & Medicines Strategy Forum, Claire Foreman (Director of Medicines Policy & Strategy, NHS England) outlined the vision and progress behind the development of the Single National Formulary (SNF), a key component of the NHS’s long-term strategy for medicines.

The SNF aims to provide a consistent national baseline for prescribing, supporting faster and more equitable access to clinically and cost-effective medicines, while reducing unwarranted variation. Delivery will be phased, with initial therapeutic areas aligned to the 10 Year Health Plan priorities, before expanding over time to become a comprehensive, digitally enabled prescribing tool.

Success will ultimately be measured by improved patient outcomes, more consistent access, and better use of NHS resources — positioning the SNF as a central enabler of value-based, system-wide medicines optimisation.

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