The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7187 p285-287
2 March 2002

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Letters to the Editor

Small multiples

Give the AIMp some credit

From Mr P. Cattee, MRPharmS

How disappointed I was to see the negative comments made by Noel Baumber (PJ, 16 February, p209), concerning the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies.

Our objectives are rather more wide ranging than he gives us credit for, but our primary aims are to help support the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the National Pharmaceutical Association in securing a sound future for pharmacists using the strengths of our businesses.

Particularly, I think this could be by way of providing information on our pharmacies that will substantiate the case for negotiations towards the new contract. If we seek to influence the PSNC in any other manner I would expect that among our first calls will be to address the unsustainably low level of professional remuneration in a more robust manner, again lending what organisational help we can, not try to ensure we retain a payment system that clearly rewards us all so poorly!

That apart, there are obvious advantages to addressing the common problems peculiar to our size of businesses that he ignores. Much of the work that we all do is duplicated, and by sharing best practice among ourselves we shall undoubtedly learn, reduce costs, and form a stronger network to help develop services in the future. To suggest that this is all a shallow plan to maintain the status quo, as he seems to infer, is hardly the way to build bridges. But I must stress that I believe the independent sector faces the same problems as regional multiple groups, and that any plan other than to work together for the future, against our common difficulties, would be a foolish one.

There is one more thing I wish to mention. I doubt that the letters column of the PJ will be the forum to secure the new constitution of the PSNC but, in starting the debate, and seeming to question my right to stand for the PSNC in this year's election, I believe Mr Baumber might have mentioned one more fact — I was standing against him.

Peter Cattee
Chairman, AIMp

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