Patients in the UK will gain a better service from their local pharmacist as Government plans for a more flexible, modernised service moved a step further towards implementation, Health Minister Rosie Winterton announced today.
Following successful negotiations with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and the NHS Confederation, a new contract for high street pharmacists should go live, subject to a ballot by pharmacists, from 1 April 2005.
Under the new deal, pharmacists will be rewarded for the range and quality of services they provide rather than the volume of medicines they dispense. This gives them an incentive to broaden the range of services they offer to their community. For example, pharmacists could be paid for expanding their services to include checking people's blood pressure, monitoring blood glucose levels, offering smoking cessation services and generally promoting healthy lifestyles.
Ahead of speaking at a meeting of the All Party Pharmacy Group at the House of Commons this evening, Rosie Winterton said:
“I am delighted that we have reached this stage. This new contract represents the beginning of a new era for pharmacy in the community, in which everyone will benefit.
“Until now, pharmacists have been an untapped resource. I want to see them more integrated with the NHS family. There will be provision made for pharmacists to offer a much wider range of services to the public. For example, supporting self-care and the management of common ailments, promoting healthy lifestyles and helping patients to get the best from their medicines.
“The introduction of repeat dispensing in every pharmacy will mean that patients will be able to get a prescription from their GP (for up to a year at a time) to be dispensed in instalments agreed by the prescriber and the pharmacist.
“Patients will no longer have to make repeat visits to the surgery for prescriptions, helping reduce GP workloads and offering opportunities for pharmacists to review patient medication. This can also help minimise waste by not dispensing medicines that patients no longer require and is especially suitable for people with long-term conditions.”
This deal is part of a bigger reform agenda where more health services are provided by a more diverse range of providers – giving greater choice for patients and more convenient access to services.
Barry Andrews, Chairman of the PSNC said: