New code includes pharmacy despite opposition
Code applies to any material that bears the NHS logo |
Community pharmacies in England have been made subject to a new code
of practice on the promotion of services funded by the NHS (PJ, 2 December
2006, p656).
This is despite the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, the
National Pharmacy Association and the Company Chemists’ Association
all telling the Government that the code should not apply to pharmacies
(PJ, 10 March 2007, p272).
Pharmacies, they said, were private businesses that should be allowed
to invest their profits in any way they wished and that it would be difficult
to decouple the promotion of privately funded services and products from
those available through the NHS.
The new code, which was published last week and came into effect immediately,
is intended to protect users of NHS services by ensuring that information
is not misleading, inaccurate, unfair or offensive, to protect the brand
and reputation of the NHS, and to ensure that expenditure of public money
on promotional activity is not excessive.
The code recognises that there will be occasions when it is difficult
to distinguish between promotional material aimed at NHS and non-NHS
patients. To help clarify this, the code says that the NHS logo is a
trade mark that can only be used on material that promotes NHS services
and that the code applies to any promotion that bears the NHS logo.
NHS service providers will also be expected to adhere to the codes of
practice administered by the Advertising Standards Authority that apply
to all media, including television and radio.
Neal Patel, head of communications at the NPA, said: “The NPA does
not think that the decision to extend the code to cover community pharmacy
should be taken at this time — full consultation with the sector
is needed first. However, the NPA does recognise there are benefits to
being included in a modified code of practice but these need to be weighed
up against the considerable practical, professional and commercial implications
of applying the code to our sector.”
A PSNC spokesman said: “We are disappointed that pharmacy is included
in this early version without further consultation particularly where
the initial consultation in November 2006 suggested that the code would
apply first to secondary care.”
Rob Darracott, CCA chief executive, commented: “It is disappointing
that in this very broad brush code the DoH has not responded to the specific
concerns of those providers of NHS services, like community pharmacies,
and in particular businesses like CCA member companies, who use promotion
to support their healthcare activities, some of which are more clearly
NHS than others. Choice and competition are not new issues for community
pharmacy and the importance of brand reputation is not new to CCA member
companies either. Pharmacists and pharmacy companies who promote their
services are already subject to both public and professional codes of
behaviour. So, while in one respect this kind of regulation is not new,
we are concerned that this seems to add another layer of unnecessary
bureaucracy.”
NHS Choices
Patients needing routine, elective
NHS treatment will be allowed to choose from any hospital provider
in England that meets NHS standards from April, the Department of
Health has announced. Under “Free choice”, money follows
the patient and hospitals are paid a tariff rate for each person
treated. NHS hospitals will also be allowed to promote their services
to the
public under the new code of practice. |
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