Low volume dispensing pharmacies still on agenda
Compensation for redundant oxygen cylinder headsets will start in
July |
Community pharmacies in England that dispense few prescriptions have been thrown a lifeline by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.
PSNC chief executive Sue Sharpe said at last week’s local pharmaceutical
committees ‘conference that low volume dispensing contractors were “still
on the agenda”. They had been discussed at the most recent meeting
of the PSNC’s funding and contract subcommittee. The committee
decided to consider the matter in a year’s time to ensure that
the PSNC was ready to decide what to do in the final year of the protected
funding that had been agreed as part of the new contract.
Mrs Sharpe also revealed that Department of Health data indicate that
around 260 independently owned pharmacies will dispense between 1,100
and 2,000 items monthly in 2006–07. This number will, she said,
include many but not all essential small pharmacies, of which there will
be around 230. From these figures, the PSNC estimates there are likely
to be fewer than 100 independent pharmacies dispensing 1,100–2,000
items monthly.
LPC representatives were also told that pharmacies that supplied oxygen
would be compensated for cylinder headsets that were decommissioned as
a result of the new home oxygen service.
PSNC head of information services Lindsay McClure said that the DoH had
set aside some money that will be paid during July and August. She added
that the DoH had asked for details of the cost of other redundant assets,
such as delivery vehicles and storage sheds. On the possibility of exit
payments, Miss McClure said that the DoH was conscious that the oxygen
service could return to crisis if pharmacy contractors stopped delivering
oxygen. The fees that pharmacies received were under consideration as
part of the development of regional exit plans for contractors. |
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Pharmaceutical Journal
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