GSK under continued fire over discounts
Community pharmacists’ representative bodies in Scotland have continued to attack GlaxoSmithKline’s move to revise
its discount terms (PJ, 19 February, p197).
Last week, the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council’s standing
committee met with representatives of GSK to discuss the issue and to
consider GSK’s programme of medicines support services. Frank Owens,
SPGC chairman, said that the committee remained unimpressed, adding that
members were unanimous in their criticism. “The committee has asked,
in light of the current status of new contract negotiations in Scotland,
that GSK reconsiders its position,” he said.
James Semple, chairman of the Scottish Pharmaceutical Federation, hinted
that he would be taking direct action against GSK. “As an individual
contractor I will most certainly be reconsidering my support for GSK’s
over-the-counter lines,” he said. Mr Semple added: “As is
well understood by pharmacy and government, the community pharmacy network
is supported by a complex combination of profit on purchasing and professional
fees — a system which very effectively keeps down the cost of medicines
to the NHS. GSK’s unilateral decision to exempt themselves from
this system comes at the worst possible time — when we in Scotland
are trying to focus our full attention on delivering the new contract.”
A spokesman for GSK said: “[The] changes to the +Plus scheme have
been carefully designed to support an increased focus on community pharmacy
patient care, while being profit neutral for pharmacists across the UK,
including Scotland.” He added that full details of the changes
had been provided so that they could be taken account of. “We understand
that in England and Wales the Department of Health has confirmed that
they will not apply clawback on GSK products that will be available without
discount from 1 April. Details of how this arrangement will work are
expected to be public in the near future.”
Meanwhile, the Company Chemists Association, the Association of Independent
Multiples and the Co-operative Pharmacy Association have all voiced concerns
about GSK’s new discount terms. A CCA spokeswoman said: “It
is clear from the design of the initiatives that GSK neither understands
how the funding for community pharmacy works, nor the pharmacy service
development agenda.” A spokesman for the Co-operative Pharmacy
Association said GSK had alienated its customer base and urged the company
to reconsider its position. |
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