Press Release
10th March 2003
Local Pharmacists to Meet
Minister
Local pharmacists are to meet
Deputy Health Minister, Frank McAveety, on Tuesday 11th
March to discuss their concerns over an Office of Fair Trading
(OFT) report which, they fear, may threaten the future of
community pharmacies.
The report recommends that entry regulations to the industry should be lifted to allow any registered pharmacy with qualified staff to dispense NHS prescriptions. Currently, NHS Boards can regulate the number and location of dispensing pharmacies in an area. A new contract is granted only if a new pharmacy is "necessary or desirable in order to secure adequate provision of pharmaceutical services in the neighbourhood."
The OFT believes these regulations restrict consumer choice and convenience. Pharmacists disagree, saying the OFT’s proposals would not increase patient choice, but concentrate pharmacies in large supermarkets. The Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council (SPGC) argues that Health Boards currently make good judgements about the location of pharmacies, there is currently a good balance between community and supermarket pharmacies, and that community pharmacies will be threatened if the regulations are lifted.
The meeting has been arranged by MSP for Greenock & Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, and will take place at 08:00 at his Union Street office.
Mr McNeil said:
"I am glad that the Minister has agreed to come to Greenock and listen to the pharmacists’ views on this issue.
"A number of local pharmacists have
already contacted me to outline their concerns over this report
and I am sure the Minister will be very interested in what they
have to say. I am looking forward to a productive meeting."
ENDS
Background
The current regulations mean that there are three types of
medicine which can be sold. Medicines on the General Sales
List can be sold over the counter by any retailer; Prescription
Only Medicines can only be prescribed by a doctor; Pharmacy
Medicines can be sold by a pharmacist accredited by the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society, and the Medicine Control Agency decides
which medicines should be in this category.
Currently, supermarket pharmacies can sell General Sales List and Pharmacy Medicines (as long as they have a qualified pharmacist), but if the current regulations are abolished they will also be able to dispense Prescription Only Medicines. Under the current regulations made under the NHS (Scotland) Act 1978 a pharmacy shall be granted the right to dispense NHS prescriptions only if it is "necessary or desirable to secure the adequate provision of pharmaceutical services in the neighbourhood."
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