The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7496 p398-399
5 April 2008

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• Society elections (2)
• Devolution
• Medication errors
• Children's medicines
• The new contract
• Community pharmacy
• Patient safety
• Responsible pharmacist
• CPPE
• Education
• The Society (4)
• Pharmacy in the media

Letters to the Editor

The new contract

A disappearing vision

From Mr A. G. B. Jones, MRPharmS

Like most contractors in England, I supported the new contract. There was much to commend the vision, principally the development of a more clinical and integrated role for community pharmacists and rhetoric about a shift from a volume-based contract to a service-based one.

The principles that drove this contract still stand. However, the reality is proving to be the opposite of the vision. The cash flows of the new contract are more volume-driven than the old. This is a crucial flaw.

At a local level, less resources than before are being channelled by my primary care trust for pharmacy services and the prospect of being able to offer locally enhanced services retreats ever further into the distance. The amalgamation of three PCTs into one meant that an established minor ailment scheme in one of the original PCTs was scrapped, rather than expanded or retained in the amalgamated structure.

Activities such as medicines use reviews, while valuable for patients and professionally rewarding for contractors, will in no way plug the financial shortfall contractors are now suffering from following the latest DoH round of cuts.

While I am heartened by the robust words of Chris Hodges, of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, on the subject I fear that this is too little too late. Both the PSNC and the Government have a long way to go before the confidence of many pharmacists can be restored.

Independents are, as ever, worst hit by the financial attrition of Category M, placing the continuation of this innovative sector at risk.

Graham Jones
Lambourn Pharmacy, Berkshire

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