The Palliative Care and End of Life Medicines Service helps ensure that people receiving palliative and end of life care in the community can access urgent medicines when they are needed.
Certain medicines used to manage symptoms at the end of life are not routinely stocked by every community pharmacy. To improve access, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) commission selected community pharmacies to hold agreed stocks of these medicines and provide additional support to patients, carers and healthcare professionals.
Participating pharmacies maintain stocks of agreed medicines and work with prescribers, district nursing teams, hospices and other healthcare professionals to ensure prompt access to treatment.
Please note that while participating pharmacies hold agreed stocks, they may not always have the full quantity prescribed immediately available. However, sufficient stock is usually available to begin treatment, with any remaining supply ordered urgently, subject to wholesaler availability.
Prescriptions for controlled drugs must meet legal prescribing requirements in order to avoid unnecessary delays with dispensing.
Local service arrangements
Following the establishment of the Central East Integrated Care Board, the palliative care and end of life medicines services commissioned by the former Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK), Hertfordshire and West Essex (HWE), and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (C&P) ICBs remain in place.
Existing service arrangements will continue across each legacy area pending a review of the service in March 2027, to ensure they continue to meet the needs of patients, carers and healthcare professionals
Please refer to the relevant section below for information relating to your local area.
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK)
Information about the End of Life Medicines Service and participating pharmacies in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.
- End of Life Care List of Medicines
- End of Life Care Medicine Services List of Participating Pharmacies
Hertfordshire and West Essex (HWE)
Information about the Immediate Access to Emergency Medicines Service and participating pharmacies in Hertfordshire and West Essex.
Immediate access to emergency medicines (353kB docx)
Emergency medicines stock list (336kB docx)
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (C&P)
Information about palliative care medicines services and participating pharmacies in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.