The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7327 p784
27 November 2004

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· Registration exam (2)
· Pharmacist prescribing
· Agenda for change
· New contract (3)
· Retention fees (2)
· Statins
· Levothyroxine
· The Journal

Letters to the Editor

New contract

Collecting prescriptions from HMV?

From Mr A. R. Korsner, MRPharmS

While walking along the high road this weekend, I noticed a stand of CDs and DVDs, not previously seen, in the window of our local Moss Pharmacy. The same day, I read in my Journal that Boots were branching out into sales of alcohol products in addition to sandwiches, electronics and the like.

What is becoming of our pharmacy services? Surely the new contract should enable pharmacies to look like, and to function like, professional units. I know that this is a chestnut that has been going on since the Dickson case in 1961 (which I can just about remember) but nevertheless if pharmacy is to present a “one-stop health care venue” it has to be above this.

Surely a professional-looking company like Moss, with the chairman of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee formerly at its helm, would not see the need to expand its product ranges in non-pharmacy items in a small local store if it believed it was earning sufficiently out of its core business. How can we accept a contract that necessitates us turning our small local pharmacies (not, of course, the large departmental stores) into gift shops? I wonder if this is the last nail in the coffin for pharmacy as we know it. As I age gracefully, will I be collecting my prescriptions from HMV when I pop in for some music?

Adrian Korsner
London N20

Supply of medicines should be privatised

From Dr T. J. Benson, MRPharmS

In observing the amount of recent correspondence which highlights obvious dissatisfaction with the terms of the new contract, then surely the involved parties must ask themselves honestly if they can see a future working within the NHS when they are so clearly undervalued. It is all very well to say that there is now scope for development of further professional activities, but why should it be expected for all this to be done for a poor remuneration level?

Once again, pharmacy is left out in the cold with respect to remuneration. I suspect the Government knows it can get away with it because the majority of us are so apathetic.

It is clear to me, and maybe others, that all supply of medicaments to the populus should be done on a private basis where a realistic fee for services given can be charged. To achieve this situation may not be as difficult as one thinks with careful planning, since I believe the public places more value and respect on something it has to pay for. In addition, the Government should come clean and abolish national insurance contributions because the NHS is just not delivering the goods.

Has the worm turned?

T. J. Benson
London W1

More for less

From Mr A. E. J. Sterry, MRPharmS

Hemant Patel may well be right in saying that the new contract offers less money but for more work (PJ, 20 November, p744). However, money does not appear to have presented a problem under the new contract for doctors. A friend of mine is a surgery practice manager and he told me that the partners were trying to decide whether to do the Christmas rota themselves or to contract it out. On offer was £160 per hour for being on call for three hours with a £200 shift allowance thrown in. This totals £680 for three hours’ work. The thing is, they earn so much that they did not want to bother doing it!

If these figures are true (and I have no reason to believe otherwise) then it shows where all the money must be going. No wonder someone is having to do more for less.

Alan E. J. Sterry
Bristol

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