Pharmacists told to target PCTs in preparation for year of changes
Pharmacists need to be prepared for significant changes over the coming months, according to AAH Pharmaceuticals. Speaking at a press briefing
last week, Dr Mandeep Mudhar, director of marketing, said that 2004 — a
year that will see a new contract for pharmacy in April — is
just 11 weeks away. “Then pharmacists will be doing something
fundamentally different from what they have done for years,” he
said.
One of the main challenges in the next few months will be convincing
primary care trusts of community pharmacy’s value. “For many
pharmaceutical advisers, the priority is reducing prescribing costs.
Pharmacy is not even on the agenda,” said Dr Mudhar. When the new
community pharmacy contract is implemented, PCTs will have budgetary
control over some extended services so a real challenge for community
pharmacy is getting PCT awareness, he said. Dr Mudhar reported that 106
PCTs have embraced medicines management. “But few pharmacists are
involved in government-funded medicines management schemes,” he
said.
In order to participate in AAH’s Vantage Health Watch medicines
management schemes, pharmacists have to have a consultation area in their
pharmacy. Steve Dunn, AAH group managing director, said that he had been
surprised by the number of pharmacists that have taken up refit services.
Mr Dunn envisages that there will be three types of community pharmacy
in the future: first, those pharmacies that concentrate on service provision;
second, prescription factories that might increase their volumes by dispensing
for surrounding pharmacies as well. Finally, he expects to see the emergence
of “American-style” pharmacies which he described as a blend
of a pharmacy and a convenience store. |
