The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7430 p688
9 December 2006

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· TDM
· Work breaks
· Pfizer products
· Enhanced services
· Concordance (2)
· Small pharmacies
· Huntington's disease
· Section 60 Order
· The Society
· Technicians

Letters to the Editor

Enhanced services

The sooner we stop moaning the better

From Mr S. Bajaria MRPharmS

Before the new pharmacy contract was introduced the resistance to providing new services by community pharmacists often centred on the argument that we were not being paid any extra and therefore we were not going to provide them.

After the new contract, many primary care trusts built up extensive enhanced-service portfolios to which many pharmacists signed up, but only a minority have been able to deliver. The result has been large underspends in enhanced-service budgets, money being taken away and lost opportunities.

The arguments against new services now range from not being profitable, not having the time and a lack of manpower, to too much paper work, delayed payments and a lack of support from PCTs. And let us not forget objections and non co-operation from GPs: “too much hassle” and “can’t be bothered”.

One could be forgiven for thinking that even if all these obstacles are overcome, it is likely that others are sure to creep in. The sooner we stop moaning, take a step out of our comfort zones and start working towards securing a future for the profession, the better.

Sunil Bajaria
Bromley, Kent

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