The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7348 p536
7 May 2005

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Scottish Bill passes first stage

The new Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill passed its first stage in the Scottish Parliament last week.

The Bill sets out proposed legislation for the new community pharmacy contract, provides strengthened disciplinary powers for the NHS over pharmacists and bans smoking in enclosed public places. It was debated by the Scottish Executive on 28 April (PJ, 30 April, p510).

Speaking after the debate, health minister Andy Kerry said: “I am delighted that so many MSPs from different political perspectives have united around this, the most significant piece of public health legislation in a generation.” The Bill will now be examined in detail over the next two months.

However, James Semple, chairman of the Scottish Pharmaceutical Federation, warned that he remains concerned about the yet unpublished details of the Bill. “Until we see some flesh on the Executive’s regulations and consider their long-term implications I stand by my words,” he said. “Ideas that look good now might in the long term affect the stability of a hugely effective network of pharmacies that dispenses hundreds of thousands of prescriptions every day in a safe, effective manner. Representatives of the profession must be involved at all points in the process.”