The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7189 p360-364
16 March 2002

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  CPD
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Letters to the Editor

Monitored dosage systems

Full and proper payment

From Mr P. R. Rodwell, MRPharmS

I read with interest that another multiple is to charge for the supply of monitored dosage systems (PJ, 9 March, p318), and I applaud the move. However I would like to ask the following:

How did they arrive at the figure of £3 per patient per week? I ask this because at pharmacist locum rates (£20/hour) this equates to packing a one week MDS in nine minutes excluding any cost for equipment. Surely this still means the job is being done at a loss.

Have the multiples in question simply come up with a figure to get the question of funding out into the open, or have they assumed minimum pharmacist input to the process? I do realise that packing of MDSs is a role suited to technicians, but we do need to keep in mind that not all pharmacies have such staff. If primary care trusts and others adopt the figure of £3 we may well find that not all pharmacies will be able to afford to offer an MDS service thereby leading to an inequity of service provision .

If we are to take on roles and expect payment, I think we should argue for full and proper payment and not fall into the trap of doing someone else a favour again.

Paul Rodwell
Wallingford, Oxfordshire

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