A pharmacy strategy conference was held by Barking and Havering local pharmaceutical committee on January 30, 2000
There was generalised prejudice against pharmacy, Mr Jay Patel (chairman, Barking and Havering local pharmaceutical committee) suggested to the meeting. He drew attention to a lack of success in getting pharmaceutical representation on primary care group boards. Only one of eight local PCG boards included a pharmacist.
Many pharmacy contractors, he said, believed that the present Government, like its predecessor, was prejudiced against community pharmacy. The evidence was in the downward squeeze on prescription income for contractors at the same time as heavy increases in costs. Also, while contractors were being paid 2p per prescription to help reduce prescription fraud, the NHS was defrauding contractors of £10m by transferring prescriptions from the charge exempt to non-charge exempt category.
Further evidence was to be seen in the growing disparity between small and large contractors under a Government which promised equity and fairness.
Mr Patel wondered how much longer the profession would have to wait for the Government to publish the expected new community pharmacy strategy at a time of unprecedented change to National Health Service structure and practices.
Despite all this, Mr Patel said that the LPC believed that the Government was committed to a primary care-led NHS and that pharmacy had an important role to play in delivering patient care, quality and cost-effectiveness.
Other topics covered at the meeting |