PCTs and contractors do not need to panic
Alastair Buxton emphasised that April is a milestone, not a deadline |
Primary care trusts and pharmacy contractors in England should not panic about meeting the essential service requirements of the new community pharmacy contract, Alastair Buxton, head of NHS services at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, said last week.
“The principal message to pharmacy contractors and PCTs is that
April is a milestone within the implementation of the new contract — not
the deadline,” he said, speaking after a conference in London entitled “Maximising
the opportunities of the new community pharmacy contract” organised
by the Health Service Journal. “Neither contractors nor PCTs should
panic if they are unable to meet all the essential service requirements
from April — they have until October to ensure the contract is
fully implemented,” he added.
The PSNC also announced this week that it will run two regional conferences
for contractors in April. The conferences will provide information and
advice on what contractors need to do to provide essential, advanced
and enhanced services, how contractors will be paid and what support
and training is available. Contractors will also be able to discuss the
practicalities of new contract implementation with PSNC executives.
The conferences are taking place in Heathrow on 17 April and in Bradford
on 24 April. Contact Kim Bennett on 01296 438424 for further information
(e-mail kim.bennett@psnc.org.uk).
PCT cash allocations Primary
care trusts in England are to get at least an 8.1 per cent increase
in funding between 2006 and 2008.
One PCT, Easington, in County Durham, will get an extra 32.3 per
cent. Announcing that PCTs are to get £64.3bn
in 2006–07 and £70.4bn in 2007–08 (PDF 70K), Secretary of
State for Health John Reid said: “I am making sure that the most deprived
areas, where there are appalling inequalities in life expectancy and concentrated
problems
of diseases,
such as lung cancer or heart disease, receive extra investment.”
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