Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS): How PCNs Can Maximise Funding and Capacity
What is the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme?
The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) is part of the NHS Long Term Plan. It helps Primary Care Networks (PCNs) expand their workforce and deliver more personalised, proactive care. Through ARRS, PCNs can claim funding to employ a wide range of healthcare professionals, including clinical pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, physiotherapists, and social prescribing link workers.
ARRS funding helps reduce GP workload, improve access to care, and strengthen multidisciplinary teams in primary care. Each PCN receives a set allocation to recruit additional roles based on its patient population and workforce needs.
Who Can Benefit from ARRS Funding?
ARRS funding is available to all established Primary Care Networks in England. It supports practices and PCNs that want to:
➜ Increase clinical capacity without increasing GP workload
➜ Improve patient outcomes through specialist multidisciplinary teams
➜ Make full use of available NHS funding before the end of the financial year
➜ Deliver consistent care across their network
By using ARRS effectively, PCNs can transform how they deliver services. However, recruitment, training, and system integration can create challenges. That is where Ashtons can help.
ARRS funding is available to all established Primary Care Networks in England. It supports practices and PCNs that want to:
➜ Increase clinical capacity without increasing GP workload
➜ Improve patient outcomes through specialist multidisciplinary teams
➜ Make full use of available NHS funding before the end of the financial year
➜ Deliver consistent care across their network
By using ARRS effectively, PCNs can transform how they deliver services. However, recruitment, training, and system integration can create challenges. That is where Ashtons can help.
ARRS Roles List (Updated for 2025/26)
➜ Clinical Pharmacists
➜ Pharmacy Technicians
➜ First Contact Physiotherapists
➜ Paramedics
➜ Physician Associates
➜ Mental Health Practitioners
➜ Care Coordinators
➜ Clinical Pharmacists
➜ Pharmacy Technicians
➜ First Contact Physiotherapists
➜ Paramedics
➜ Physician Associates
➜ Mental Health Practitioners
➜ Care Coordinators
➜ Health and Wellbeing Coaches
➜ Social Prescribing Link Workers
➜ Nursing Associates
➜ Dietitians
➜ Podiatrists
➜ Occupational Therapists
➜ Health and Wellbeing Coaches
➜ Social Prescribing Link Workers
➜ Nursing Associates
➜ Dietitians
➜ Podiatrists
➜ Occupational Therapists
Common ARRS Challenges and How to Overcome Them
While the ARRS scheme offers major benefits, many PCNs find it difficult to make full use of the funding because of:
➜ Recruitment barriers that delay hiring
➜ Time spent on training and onboarding
➜ Unused allocations caused by staff shortages
➜ New roles increasing admin rather than reducing it
➜ Recruitment barriers that delay hiring
➜ Time spent on training and onboarding
➜ Unused allocations caused by staff shortages
➜ New roles increasing admin rather than reducing it
The Ashtons Virtual Hub removes these obstacles.
Our clinical pharmacists and pharmacy technicians integrate remotely into your systems (EMIS, SystmOne, Docman, Accurx) to manage medicines optimisation, long-term condition reviews, and workflow support. This enables PCNs to use their ARRS funding immediately without recruitment delays or training costs.
The Ashtons Virtual Hub removes these obstacles.
Our clinical pharmacists and pharmacy technicians integrate remotely into your systems (EMIS, SystmOne, Docman, Accurx) to manage medicines optimisation, long-term condition reviews, and workflow support. This enables PCNs to use their ARRS funding immediately without recruitment delays or training costs.
Transform ARRS challenges into results
Ashtons helps PCNs turn unspent funding into measurable outcomes. Our Virtual Hub team delivers clinical pharmacy support that scales instantly, without recruitment or training delays. By integrating directly with your systems, we help PCNs achieve the intended benefits of ARRS: improved safety, better access, and reduced GP workload.
Ashtons helps PCNs turn unspent funding into measurable outcomes. Our Virtual Hub team delivers clinical pharmacy support that scales instantly, without recruitment or training delays. By integrating directly with your systems, we help PCNs achieve the intended benefits of ARRS: improved safety, better access, and reduced GP workload.
How Ashtons Virtual Hub maximises ARRS funding impact
The Ashtons Virtual Hub is a streamlined primary care support service built specifically for Primary Care Networks. Fully aligned with ARRS funding, it helps PCNs translate reimbursement into measurable clinical and operational gains.
Through a combination of clinical pharmacist support, medicines optimisation, and long-term condition management, the Virtual Hub strengthens PCN pharmacy capacity without increasing recruitment or supervision demands.
Designed to reduce GP workload and support QOF and IIF performance, the service allows networks to make full use of their ARRS-funded roles while maintaining quality and consistency of care.
With the Virtual Hub, PCNs can:
✔️ Expand capacity through virtual clinical pharmacy expertise
✔️ Maintain high-quality medicines management across all practices
✔️ Access specialist input without adding full-time staff
✔️ Expand capacity through virtual clinical pharmacy expertise
✔️ Maintain high-quality medicines management across all practices
✔️ Access specialist input without adding full-time staff
✔️ Improve prescribing safety and efficiency
✔️ Demonstrate outcomes aligned with NHS priorities
In short, the Ashtons Virtual Hub ensures ARRS funding delivers genuine workforce resilience, better patient outcomes, and sustainable operational impact across every participating practice.
✔️ Improve prescribing safety and efficiency
✔️ Demonstrate outcomes aligned with NHS priorities
In short, the Ashtons Virtual Hub ensures ARRS funding delivers genuine workforce resilience, better patient outcomes, and sustainable operational impact across every participating practice.
The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme remains one of the NHS’s most powerful mechanisms for workforce transformation.
However, funding alone is not enough. PCNs need systems that support ARRS staff, maintain service quality, and ensure every role delivers value.
The Ashtons Virtual Hub provides an ARRS-optimised solution that bridges workforce gaps, enhances medicines management, and helps PCNs achieve measurable impact.
Make your ARRS funding work harder.
Learn how Ashtons Virtual Hub supports PCN pharmacy teams and strengthens clinical outcomes.
The utilisation of funding for services provided by Ashtons is determined by local procurement arrangements and the respective decision-making processes of practices and Primary Care Networks.
Ashtons has no ability to influence or bypass these statutory or locally governed processes.
FAQs about ARRS
What does ARRS stand for?
ARRS stands for the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, which is part of the NHS Long Term Plan to fund new roles within Primary Care Networks.
How does ARRS funding work?
Each PCN receives an annual funding allocation to recruit or contract additional roles. The NHS reimburses PCNs for the salary, National Insurance, and pension costs of eligible roles up to a set limit.
What roles are eligible for ARRS funding?
Roles include clinical pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, mental health practitioners, physiotherapists, paramedics, and more. NHS England updates the official list each year.
How can PCNs claim unused ARRS funding?
Claims are submitted through the PCN’s lead practice or Integrated Care Board. Working with a service such as Ashtons’ Virtual Hub allows PCNs to deploy ARRS-funded staff rapidly and avoid underutilisation.
How can Ashtons help PCNs use their ARRS allocation?
Our Virtual Hub provides remote clinical pharmacy support, enabling PCNs to access ARRS-funded capacity immediately without the challenges of recruitment or training.