Low volume concerns raised
Concerns about losing the protected professional allowance for low-volume pharmacies, particularly in view of the possible impact of Lord Darzi’s proposed polyclinics, were raised at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee’s local pharmaceutical committee conference in London this week.
Protected payments for low-volume pharmacies will stop at the end of
this month after the agreed three-year period comes to an end. Sue Sharpe,
chief executive of the PSNC, explained that this was the longest period
for which the PSNC could secure payments for established pharmacies.
Beyond this period, all pharmacies would have to be entitled to the same
payments.
A resolution was tabled by Kensington, Chelsea and Westminister LPC,
that called for extension of protected payments, but it was withdrawn
in view of the likely impact on all contractors if payments were extended
to new low-volume pharmacies.
John Hewitt, secretary of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich LPC, argued that
the resolution was incredibly important for all contractors. “It
is frightening to think of the number of contractors who will finish
up as low-volume contractors,” he said.
“We need more protection
for low-volume pharmacies in the slim hope that more contractors will
survive in the interim period before the DoH realises that the Darzi
proposals are a disaster.”
In response, Mrs Sharpe said: “There seems to be a general consensus
that we must campaign against moves that are going to undermine the fabric
of the present pharmacy network.” She added that the PSNC also
recognises that, with a review of the contract expected to be triggered
by the White Paper, it needs to be attentive to volume thresholds in
the light of what could happen. |
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