The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7250 p710
24 May 2003

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May PSNC Meeting (more)
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PSNC concerned about lack of further Charter talks

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee has expressed concern at being told that there will not be a further round of consultation on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's proposed new Charter.

The Society has told the PSNC that the current round of consultation, including material issued with The Pharmaceutical Journal (15 and 22 March), "is the only consultation that will be made and there will be no further opportunities". The committee believes that a decision on whether to seek a new Charter should be made by members of the Society themselves and that the current consultation arrangements are inadequate.

Sue Sharpe, chief executive of the PSNC, said at a press briefing after its May meeting: "The future role for the Society and its ability to represent the interests of pharmacists is vitally important for all members of the profession. Community pharmacists potentially have an exciting future role to perform but they must have the fullest support of all the professional organisations. That is why the PSNC is so concerned about the Society's proposals."

Other matters discussed by the PSNC are reported below.

OFT The PSNC and the NHS Confederation, which represents primary care trusts, have submitted a joint proposal to the Government on control of entry into pharmacy contracts. This aims to achieve a balance between the need to develop competition and the need to plan health care provision.

Mrs Sharpe said that the PSNC still believes that it has strong cross-party support for its position and that the Department of Health "will have a fight on its hands" if it does not get the balance right. "This issue will not go away," she said.

NHS IT The PSNC sees engaging with the National Health Service information technology programme as one of its priorities for the year and has committed resources to doing so. Mrs Sharpe noted that one of the key issues for community pharmacists will be gaining access to patient records so that they could both read them and, for medicines management and repeat dispensing, add to them.

NPSA Following a presentation from the National Patient Safety Agency, the PSNC is to issue guidance to local pharmaceutical committees that may be involved with local error reporting schemes.