The global sum for remuneration for pharmacy contractors in Scotland is to rise to £78.23m for 1999-2000, including £500,000 to pay for for new model schemes which actively involve pharmacists in the direct delivery of services to specific patient groups.
Mr George Romanes (chairman, Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council) told The Journal on October 11 that details of these new services were being worked out with Health Department officials and would emerge in the next two weeks.
He said that the basic dispensing fee would rise to 94p from October 1 by amalgamating it with point of dispensing check payments and adding a further 1.5p per item.
The serial dispensing fee is to rise by 5p to 65p from October 1 as well.
Mr Romanes said: "The SPGC made strong representations to the Scottish Executive about the fee for serial dispensing. So much work is done by a minority of contractors in areas such as drug abuse and dispensing for at-risk groups.
"The advice of Scotland's Chief Medical Officer (Sir David Carter) still stands and that is that serial dispensing should not be used for any patients in nursing or residential homes."
Mr Romanes went on to say: "There will also be a back payment of 1.5p per standard dispensing fee from April to September to reflect the fee change to 94p. This is expected to be made with the payment for November, 1999, which is due at the end of January, 2000."
Mr Romanes concluded that the settlement was a fair one, given the Scottish Office's requirement to abide by Government pay norms.
To conclude balancing payments for 1998-99, all contractors are also to receive a further 0.5p for all standard fee items dispensed last year. This back payment is to be be made as soon as practicable.