Government reviews control of entry reforms
A review
into the effectiveness of NHS pharmacy “control of entry” reforms introduced in April last year has been launched by the Government.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said that senior Department of Health
officials will consider the “effect on access to and the choice
of pharmaceutical services for patients, taking account of the new contractual
framework”.
The review will also consider progress in implementing the “balanced” package
of reforms; their impact for consumers and the retail pharmacy market;
and the extent to which the operation of the new regulatory system is
proportionate to the aims and objectives of the reforms.
Within that remit they will consider any effect on pharmacy services
in rural and socially deprived areas; an analysis of dispensing by community
pharmacies, including openings and closures, distances between pharmacies
and opening hours; and the quality of community pharmacies following
the
reforms.
Ms Hewitt has ordered that the review report should be completed and
published by the end of October this year.
She said that two remaining measures are in the Health Bill currently
going through Parliament: charging for pharmacy applications and ensuring
that primary care trusts, when assessing applications, take into account
the improvements they would bring to the provision of, or access to,
over-the-counter medicines and other health care products and advice.
After the announcement of the review, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee chief executive Sue Sharpe said: “We were expecting the
DoH announcement on the control of entry review. We know from reports
from local pharmaceutical committees that there have been large numbers
of applications in the first year. The majority of cases using the exemptions
to control of entry have been seeking to use the 100-hour pharmacy exemption.
Some of these are in locations where demand out of hours is likely to
be minimal, and this is therefore the exemption category the PSNC believes
is of most concern.
“It is important that contractors who are, or may be affected by
new pharmacies using any of the exemptions consider and respond to the
consultation.
The PSNC has been gathering information about use of the exemptions and
will be developing its response in the coming weeks.”
Pharmacists who want to contribute to the review can do so until 12 September
2006. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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