The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7168 p450
6 October 2001

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Control of entry
Open and transparent — for better and worse?

Control of entry

The decision by the Office of Fair Trading to hold an inquiry into the pharmacy market, looking specifically at the control of entry regulations, could be seen as another body blow for community pharmacy, still reeling from the loss of resale price maintenance (a previous OFT victory).

However, with the pharmacy contract up for renegotiation and the structures of the National Health Service in flux, the inquiry may offer an opportunity to bring yet another element into play. The way is open to tear up the current arrangements and lay out a new basis for community pharmacy in the 21st century; one based on the needs of patients and customers, not of pharmacy organisations.

The public interest in community pharmacy will be best served by a network of community pharmacies that is adequately funded, properly staffed, rationally distributed within communities, and which has formal and electronic links with other primary and secondary care establishments. It will not be served by simply having more than one pharmacy on every street.

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Open and transparent — for better and worse?

In response to a letter of criticism from observers at the September meeting of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Council (PJ, 8 September, p323), changes have been made. Proceedings of the October Council meeting earlier this week were, by and large, clearer to follow and, most significantly, even the traditional closed sessions were open to observers, provided they sign a confidentiality agreement before the meeting.

The change in style was prompted by a letter from the President to Council members. The original plan was for the changes to take place at the December meeting but, because there was unanimous agreement for the improvements, they were instituted immediately. The changes were widely accepted as a first step in improving transparency and making Council proceedings and deliberations more understandable, although the Council agreed that it also needs to develop a communications strategy in order for members to be better informed about the process behind its deliberations.

These are definite improvements. Council discussions were more constructive this week — Council members seemingly stung by the criticisms that were made. Members of the Society are entitled to hope that this is genuinely the start of a new approach.

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