The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7393 p337
25 March 2006

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Vital test of new pharmacy contract funding still to come

This year will be a vital test for the strength of the funding arrangements negotiated last year for the new pharmacy contract.

Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee chairman Barry Andrews said at this week’s local pharmaceutical committees’ conference: “We have not yet completed negotiations for next year’s funding — a vital test of the funding structure.”

At the same meeting, PSNC chief executive Sue Sharpe said that community pharmacy had come out well from the shambolic way in which the new home oxygen service started earlier this year.

“Where local pharmaceutical committees worked hard to prevent harm to patients they have been able to do more for the standing of community pharmacy and to build a basis for future collaboration with primary care trusts than any number of meetings. And it has been appreciated at national and local level.”

But she warned that this had not yet affected attempts to minimising pharmacists’ losses arising from the new arrangements.