The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7235 p178
8 February 2003

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National Pharmaceutical Association (www.npa.co.uk)

NPA to produce local campaigns pack to help pharmacists oppose OFT report

Members of the National Pharmaceutical Association are to receive campaign packs to help them take action at local level to stimulate opposition to the implementation of the recommendation in the Office of Fair Trading report.

NPA chairman Terry Hannawin, speaking at the association's January board meeting, said: "There has never been a more important time for members to take action. This issue requires national and local effort. We must all press home to local Members of Parliament and the devolved assemblies the devastating effect deregulation of the entry into contract rules would have on local services. And the adverse effect it would have on future developments in the provision of health care services from pharmacies that governments expressed their intention to implement in their individual plans for pharmacy. We need also to seek support from our patients and customers who all stand to be losers if the OFT's recommendation is accepted."

The NPA has urged its members to write to their local elected representatives. The campaign pack will contain posters, flyers and petition forms, together with advice on how to make maximum impact. It is being mailed directly to members.

Mr Hannawin and NPA chief executive John D'Arcy met Health Minister David Lammy on 4 February to express the association's deep concerns about the OFT report.

Other issues discussed at the board meeting are reported below.

Heroin prescribing The NPA is seeking a meeting with the Home Office to discuss the implications for community pharmacists of the updated drugs strategy published in December 2002. In particular, the NPA wishes to discuss plans to make heroin available on prescription.

The board has mixed feelings about whether it is appropriate for heroin to be made available through community pharmacies rather than exclusively through specialist treatment centres. Many board members see opportunities for community pharmacists to develop further services for drug addicts. If it were to be made available only through specialist treatment centres, this could decrease the number of addicts being treated with methadone within primary care.

Colette McCreedy, NPA director of pharmacy practice, reported on a joint Home Office and Department of Health meeting to discuss implementing the strategy. Although community pharmacists had not been mentioned in the strategy document, a number of references were made to them at the meeting.

Funding for treatment of drug addiction is to be increased by around £500m a year over the next four years. LPC secretaries have been informed of this additional funding so that they can explore opportunities for community pharmacists to contribute to the implementation of the strategy.

Consent and confidentiality In response to the NHS Information Authority's consultation on consent and confidentiality of patient information, the NPA is emphasising that patients should recognise community pharmacists as among those health professionals who will hold confidential information about them. Board members are concerned that, as currently worded, a draft NHSIA code of practice and patient leaflet do not make it clear to patients or GPs that information will be shared with community pharmacists even though the authority has confirmed that this will be the case. Issues to be raised with the NHSIA include whether current computer systems are suitable to access patient records and whether any information held would be in addition to the current patient medication record systems.

GP workforce group John D'Arcy will join a Cabinet Office task group working to oversee effective implementation of Government plans to reduce unnecessary burdens on GPs and to offer advice and assistance communicating the changes effectively to GPs and other front-line staff. Other members of the group include representatives of the medical and nursing professions, NHS organisations and patient groups.