Charities question control of entry reform
Two public health charities, PharmacyHealthLink and the United Kingdom Public Health Association, have questioned the value of bringing in reforms to control of entry at a time when there is already great change being made in pharmacy.
In response to the Department of Health proposals to change the regulations
governing new pharmacy contracts, the two bodies say that they have serious
reservations about the proposed exemption criteria. “We feel that
the provision of special exclusions fundamentally undermines the ability
of primary care trusts to undertake their vitally important role of planning
health care services for their local populations,” they say. Instead,
primary care trusts should have the freedom to determine pharmaceutical
services in their localities. Overall, the charieties believe that the
Government’s approach may result in increased health inequalities.
Nucare has also responded to the consultation. It says the proposals
amount to “deregulation by stealth” and would have exactly
the opposite result to the stated
reasons for change. Market consolidation would lead to reduced competition
and the closure of small independent pharmacies. |
