The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7259 p106
26 July 2003

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NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (NHS LIFT) (more)

LIFT poses threat to local pharmacies

The Government's initiative to improve primary care premises poses a significant threat to community pharmacists, according to Mike Smith, non-executive chairman of UniChem.

However, many pharmacists are simply not aware of the programme, known as Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT). Speaking at a press briefing on 16 July, Mr Smith said that a UniChem survey had revealed that 60 per cent of pharmacists do not know what LIFT is.

LIFT will involve up to 3,000 GP premises being refurbished or replaced and 500 new one-stop care centres being established. The priority locations for LIFT are deprived areas with a lot of illness and consequently high volumes of prescriptions.

"Some of the new centres will have pharmacies and some won't, but all will have implications for the pharmacists in the local area," said Mr Smith.

There will be significant investment from the private sector. This means the private sector will have more influence over the building and will also want return for their investment in terms of rent and up-front deposits.

"Pharmacists need to get involved; standing by is not an option," he said. As a first step, he suggests that pharmacists find out what is happening in their local area and speak to the local primary care organisation's pharmaceutical adviser.

Local pharmaceutical committees and local pharmacy groups should also be involved, he added.