The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 263 No 7063 p408
September 18, 1999 News

Scottish chief whip to take up pharmacy concerns

The Scottish Parliament's Conservative chief whip (Lord Selkirk of Douglas) has agreed to take up pharmacists' concerns that they will not have adequate representation in the management structure of primary care trusts, according to the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council. Speaking after a meeting with Lord Selkirk on September 10, the SPGC chairman (Mr George Romanes) told The Journal: "We are extremely concerned that, in spite of the substantial monetary investment that community pharmacists make in the National Health Service, they have been denied adequate recognition in the new NHS structures."

The SPGC chairman (right) talks with Lord Selkirk

Mr Romanes said that the advisory role of area pharmaceutical committees should be recognised with the PCT structure.
"We also want the lead pharmacists to be involved at strategic decision making level, not merely called in when other health professionals deem it appropriate.
"The move towards local negotiation implies that, for the first time, local health care co-operatives will be responsible for elements of the pharmaceutical budget," Mr Romanes went on. "This could be as much as £5.5m in the next financial year. The need for community pharmacy representation and advice at local level is, therefore, paramount."
These points had been made to Lord Selkirk, Mr Romanes said. He had agreed to make appropriate representations to the Health Minister and to the Health and Community Care Committee.