Pharmacy contract will expand services

The pharmacy contract currently under negotiation would protect high street chemists from deregulation, according to the man heading talks for the NHS Confederation. It would also pave the way for the provision of enhanced services.

The government has largely rejected an Office of Fair Trading report that recommended deregulation of retail pharmacies. At the same time, proposals for a new pharmaceutical contract have been published.

North and South Peterborough primary care trust chief executive Chris Town, who is leading negotiations for the confederation, said he believed acceptance of the new deal would ensure the OFT recommendations did not go ahead.

Trade and industry secretary Patricia Hewitt said the government had largely rejected the OFT report because the government's approach to pharmaceutical services was 'sensitive to the wider NHS policy objectives' that was not part of the OFT's remit.

PCTs will apply a revised 'necessary or desirable' test for pharmacies wanting to dispense NHS prescriptions or extend service provision.

Under the contract proposals, pharmacists look set to follow in the footsteps of GPs. Jointly negotiated by the NHS Confederation, the Department of Health, and the pharmaceutical services negotiating committee, the framework contract splits pharmaceutical services into essential, enhanced and additional services.

Essential services must be provided by all community pharmacists and will include dispensing and promotion of self-care for patients with minor ailments.

Enhanced services will require accreditation of the pharmacist, and will include medicine-use review. Additional services will be commissioned locally by PCTs and will include palliative care, intermediate care services and needle exchange. PCTs will also be able to develop extra services over and above those already identified.

The government has also published a consultation document, A Vision for Pharmacy in the NHS, which also calls for a widening of services provided by pharmacies.

Mr Town said there had been broad agreement among all parties on negotiations so far, but added there was much work still to be done on the financial arrangements that would be necessary to implement it.

If the draft contract is agreed by pharmacists, legislation will be introduced during the winter, with the contract due to be introduced from April next year.