New contract in Scotland delayed until June
New timetable for MAS
1 April to 31 May
Contractors to complete training
15 May
Deadline for submitting claims forms for computer system
updates in order to receive £500 IT funding (instead of
31 March)
Throughout May
MAS implementation resource packs to be sent to
contractors
1 June
Electronic patient registration begins
1 July
eMAS begins |
Implementation of the new community
pharmacy contract in Scotland has been delayed by two months because a few computer system suppliers have not met the deadline for providing supporting IT.
The announcement was made this week in a letter published jointly by
the Scottish Executive Health Department and the Scottish Pharmaceutical
General Council. They have decided that pushing ahead with implementation
of the new contract on 1 April would disadvantage those contractors whose
pharmacy systems are provided by one of the suppliers who will have failed
to meet the 31 March installation deadline.
A phased implementation of the new contract had always been planned,
starting with the minor ailments service (MAS). Although a small number
of computer system suppliers are not yet ready to provide MAS, all other
aspects of service provision are now in place. The central patient registration
system is operational, all independent contractors and most multiples
are connected to N3 with the remaining multiples about to follow suit,
and training is under way.
The joint statement notes that since MAS is a core service, failure to
provide it would be a breach of contract conditions.
Bill Scott, chief pharmaceutical officer at the Scottish Executive, commented: “This
is the beginning of a journey which promises to bring a new practice
environment within community pharmacy and help practitioners deliver
better access, improved services and quality outcomes for patients.”
Frank Owens, SPGC chairman, said that he welcomed the extra few weeks
to prepare for the new contract. “Importantly, Scottish contractors
will be expected to start delivering MAS simultaneously. No one (other
than the original pilot site contractors) will be allowed to register
MAS patients before the registration commencement date of 1 June,” he
explained. “Both SEHD and SPGC are keen to maintain a level playing
field with all contractors being given an equal opportunity to engage
and, in the same way, all eligible patients having similar opportunity
to register with the community pharmacy of their choice.”
This last point is stressed in the joint statement. It says that contractors
must not advertise or offer incentives to the public for MAS registration.
Instead, publicity will be nationally co-ordinated.
Alison Strath, principal pharmaceutical officer, SEHD, said: “The
announcement of the timetable for implementation of MAS allows community
pharmacists to start to plan in earnest for the delivery of the service.
I hope that it will also be helpful to the networks of pharmacy practitioner
champions and IM&T facilitators in considering local training and
support programmes.” |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
Reader