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The
Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. Mike O'Brien):
Chapter 5 of our pharmacy White Paper, “Pharmacy in
In the
light of further public research, we have prepared a communications
programme to support the delivery of key messages to patients, public,
the NHS and other stakeholders. Summary copies of the research have
today been placed in the Library of the House, are available to hon.
Members from the Vote Office and can be found at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/Publications
PolicyAndGuidance/DH_083815
This
programme represents the first step in improving awareness and
understanding of the roles of pharmacy in providing services. This is
an important but necessary prelude to expanding the range of clinical
services we want to see available as outlined in the White Paper.
We
have identified key target audiences for this programme with a
particular focus on people with long-term conditions and those
affected by health inequalities. The next phase will turn this
information into a campaign plan. We will work with key pharmacy
stakeholders to develop this campaign plan. It will be supported by
further research this summer among the pharmacist profession to
identify their preparedness and ability to deliver the range and
quality of services that patients and public should expect in future.
We
consulted on a number of structural and legislative changes affecting
community pharmacy last autumn. Our proposals for reforming the
current primary legislation are contained in the Health Bill published
in January and now before the Commons.
As
part of this work, I am today announcing the formation of a regulatory
advisory group to help implement these changes, subject to
parliamentary approval of our provisions in the Bill.
I have
asked Mr Paul Burns to lead and chair this group. Mr Burns is leaving
his current post of Chief Officer of the NHS Litigation Authority
Appeal Unit at 18
Jun 2009 : Column 32WS the end of this month. He has an unrivalled
wealth of experience of NHS pharmacy legislation. He will be inviting
key organisations and stakeholders to join him in formulating the
detailed regulations needed to bring our reform proposals to reality.
The
terms of reference for this important work are:
Subject to parliamentary approval of proposals in the Health Bill
2009, to consider and advise on, and to help the Department devise,
regulations to implement a duty on NHS primary care trusts to develop
and to publish pharmaceutical needs assessments and on subsequent
regulations required to use such assessments as the basis for
determining the provision of NHS pharmaceutical services”.
We
expect the group to complete its programme by spring 2011.
Pending
this longer term reform, I have considered whether or not further
changes are needed to the current arrangements for pharmacies prepared
to provide NHS services for at least 100 hours per week. We also
consulted on this last autumn. I fully recognise the strength of
feeling this issue has generated. While reforms now may have potential
benefits, I am not persuaded, after full consideration, that there
should be further changes to the current arrangements for what will be
a relatively short interim period before new permanent arrangements
are in place.
In the
absence of firm evidence that such pharmacies have had serious adverse
impacts on the provision of NHS services locally, and that some of the
earlier problems reported to us are settling down, I have concluded
that these current arrangements should continue pending our
longer-term strategic vision for NHS services to be commissioned
against local needs. I consider this is the right path to follow.
Once
the new arrangements are in place, applications, including those
offering extended hours, will be determined against those assessments.
Existing pharmacies currently opening at least 100 hours per week who
want to reduce their hours will in due course be able to apply to the
PCT for determinations based against those assessments. Otherwise,
they will have to maintain their commitment to open for at least 100
hours per week.
This Government remain determined to transform the delivery of pharmaceutical services. By developing community pharmacists’ clinical role and expanding the range of services they offer, we want to ensure that people have a wider choice of, and greater access to modern, effective, frontline health care. I believe we are on course to achieve that.
25th June 2009