The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7373 p539
29 October 2005

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NPA calls for level playing field for commissioning in primary care

The National Pharmacy Association has written to the Secretary of State for Health ahead of the forthcoming primary care White Paper, calling for a level commissioning playing field that will enable community pharmacists to play their full part in the redesign of health services.

The NPA argues that pharmacy representation on primary care trusts’ professional executive committees (PECs) is a key means of ensuring a level playing field with other providers.

NPA chief executive John D’Arcy said: “Representation on professional executive committees needs to be inclusive, so that the full range of professions is visible and better understood at a high level within PCTs. Most PECs now have pharmacy representation, but it is a real concern that the forthcoming reconfiguration of PCTs may in fact result in large-scale pharmacy disengagement as PECs reform or disband. With the introduction of practice-based commissioning, the need for multidisciplinary representation at PCT and locality level is unquestionable.”

He also warned that procurement projects within primary care must be designed so that undue advantage is not given to large commercial providers.