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Letters to the Editor
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Control of entry
Under pressure
From Mr D. F. Miller, MRPharmS
So now it is official — pharmacists
are under pressure (PJ, 19
August, p218). What do we expect?
Since control-of-entry regulations were introduced pharmacists have been
denied the opportunity of working independently, to the detriment of
the NHS, patients and local communities. Do not take my word for this — look
at the Office of Fair Trading report.
Our profession has been commercialised and our standing in the community
diminished. While doctors have moved to second in the earnings table
we have been relegated to 42nd place. Their corporate masters, whose
sole motivation is balance sheet profit, have dumped more and more work
on employee pharmacists.
This problem has been exacerbated by our representatives’ support
of control-of-entry restrictions. One may argue that their motives are
honourable but they are nevertheless misplaced. Maintaining the status
quo never makes improvements — all this leads to is complacency
and thereby lowering of standards.
The Government is currently reviewing the 2005 legislation and so an
opportunity has arisen to reverse its decision to keep the contract restriction — go
to www.dh.gov.uk and follow the links to consultations or e-mail gillian.farnfield@dh.gsi.gov.uk (fax 020 7972 2953). This must be done by 12 September 2006.
If all employee pharmacists were to communicate their opinions to the
Government, the exploitation reported in the PJ could be prevented. If
something is not done soon pharmacy will continue its inextricable decline
to the detriment of all.
David Miller
Congleton, Cheshire
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal