The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7384 p61
21 January 2006

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Commissioning of enhanced services difficult

Funding crises in the NHS are making the commissioning of enhanced services in England more difficult, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee’s chief executive Sue Sharpe acknowledged this week.

“The PSNC recognised when negotiating the contract that funding for enhanced services would not be secure, and that is why its focus was to ensure that the national contract provided the funding needed by contractors,” she said.

“There is no doubt that primary care trusts will continue to commission some enhanced services in the future, but financial problems and the PCT reorganisation this year will adversely affect levels of commissioning,” Mrs Sharpe said. Since the funding for advanced services — medicines use reviews and the prescription intervention service — are part of the national contract funding, the PSNC is anxious to encourage all contractors to take up these services, she added.