The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7226 p768
30 November 2002

This article
Reprint
Photocopy

News summary

Related websites
Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (www.psnc.co.uk)

LPS consultations must be genuine

Primary care trusts are required to carry out proper consultations over proposals for local pharmaceutical services pilots, the Department of Health has said. This was confirmed at a meeting between Departmental officials and representatives of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee at which evidence and examples of a lack of consultation and of inadequate procedures were given by the PSNC.

Mike King, the PSNC's head of professional development said: "We set out the concerns and anxieties of contractors denied the right to be heard on an issue which could affect their business and livelihood. We were given an undertaking by the Department that the approval process involves a thorough and rigorous scrutiny of LPS applications. Any instances of inadequate consultation or less than thorough impact assessments would lead to proposals being turned down and sent back to the PCT."

Mr King is now asking contractors and local pharmaceutical committees who have evidence of inadequate consultations to send details to the PSNC by 2 December 2002 so that they can be forwarded to the Department.