The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7244 p505
12 April 2003

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Funding for hospital manufacturing

Hospital manufacturing units in England are set to receive £42m over the next three years, according to Dr Jim Smith, chief pharmaceutical officer, speaking at the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists annual meeting in Bristol on 5 April.

Dr Smith said that it was established that the service was fragmented and an effective infrastructure was lacking. He added that guidance is to be released soon on how the money should be used to support hospital manufacturing, and that emphasis will be placed on aseptic preparations and oncology services.

Dr Smith also commented on how unusual it was for someone like himself, a civil servant, to make this sort of announcement. He had stepped in at short notice to take the place not only of Lord Hunt, who had resigned as health minister over the invasion of Iraq, but also his replacement who was unable to attend the meeting.