The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7479 p578
24 November 2007

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Polyclinics may create local health deserts

Polyclinics could turn neighbourhoods into “health deserts”, the National Pharmacy Association has warned. In its response to an All-Party Parliamentary Primary Care and Public Health Group inquiry into GP access, the NPA welcomed strategies to increase capacity within general practice but voiced concerns that the Government-mooted polyclinic model (PJ, 10 November, p518) could reduce people’s access to primary care in communities.

The NPA’s head of external relations, Stephen Fishwick, said: “GP consolidation on the scale envisaged would have an appreciable impact on the surrounding pharmacy network, particularly if the polyclinic facility also contains a pharmacy. At worst, there is a threat of some neighbourhoods becoming health deserts, with neither GP nor pharmacy services in the places that people live, work and shop.

“On the other hand, a well designed hub-and-spoke model of provision, with neighbourhood pharmacies providing a range of access-critical services, could significantly enhance health care.”

He added: “The Government’s refusal to date to adopt a national minor aliments service is regrettable. Where minor ailments services are locally commissioned they have been shown to reduce unnecessary A&E visits as well as providing an alternative to GP consultations.”