The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7247 p606
3 May 2003

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National Pharmaceutical Association (www.npa.co.uk)
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New NPA chairman says "Keep up OFT pressure"

Hemant Patel, newly elected chairman of the National Pharmaceutical Association, has urged NPA members to keep up the pressure on Members of Parliament over the Office of Fair Trading report on control of entry.

Mr Patel is calling on pharmacists to write to their MPs asking them to seek assurance from ministers that, to reflect the opinion of their constituents, there will not be substantial changes to the existing control of entry regulations.

At its April meeting, the NPA board expressed the view that, in publishing its statement about the need for a balanced package of measures for planning pharmacy contracts, the Government has sought to take the heat out of the situation. This will allow the deregulation agenda to be reconsidered without public pressure.

Mr Patel has been the NPA's East Anglian representative since 1995 and was vice-chairman last year. He is also a member of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the Council of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Ashok Soni has been elected vice-chairman of the NPA. He has been East Sussex and Kent representative since 1998. Wally Dove (south of England) has been re-elected as treasurer.