The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7312 p219
14 August 2004

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· Statins
· Enhanced services
· Shipman inquiry
· Dispensing errors
· Language skills
· Pharmacy education
· Tablet identification
· TCM
· The Charter

Letters to the Editor

Enhanced services

Shooting the profession in the foot

From Mr S. Vohra, MRPharmS

I note that Moss Pharmacy is offering free cholesterol tests albeit only to “at risk” customers (PJ, 7 August, p178). This initiative, as well as Lloydspharmacy providing free blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring, is, in my opinion, detrimental to the profession. This is because, with the advent of the new contract, these types of services should be locally funded by primary care trusts as enhanced services. If pharmacies are providing these services for free then why should PCTs ever think about funding them? Considering community pharmacists already provide a number of key services free, especially collection and delivery and monitored dosing systems, is it not about time that the multiple chains thought about the profession as a whole and how best to proceed together to achieve better funding for every contractor for all services provided, rather than thinking of their own selfish and narrow interests?

The free services that Moss and Lloyds provide may seem noble and give them good publicity but, as far as securing long-term funding is concerned, these companies are shooting themselves, and the whole pharmacy profession, in the foot.

Samir Vohra
Clinical Governance Facilitator
Chorley & South Ribble Primary Care Trust

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