How to deal with military prescriptions - Pharmaceutical Press

The Pharmaceutical Journal 321
News
Hundred-hour pharmacy
exemptions set to go
New control-of-entry regulations to be
published for consultation next month are
expected to close the door on 100-hour
pharmacy applications, but retain mailorder/internet
pharmacies, Pharmaceutical
Services Negotiating Committee’s head of
regulation Steve Lutener has said.
Speaking at the Avicenna conference last
week, Mr Lutener, one of the PSNC’s
representatives on the Department of Health
control-of-entry advisory group, said that,
logically, exempt pharmacy applications have to
go: “You can’t put primary care trusts in the
driving seat over deciding where pharmacies are
going to be located, and then keep exemptions.”
The new control-of-entry regulations,
expected to come into force on 1 April 2011,
will oblige PCTs to open pharmacies only
where they fill a need identified by the new
pharmaceutical needs assessments.
Under the new regulations, existing 100-hour
pharmacies would not be forced to close, he
added. It is not yet clear, though, how PCTs will
be expected to handle applications from 100-
hour pharmacies to reduce their hours of service.
Mr Lutener advised contractors to scrutinise
the draft PNAs while PCTs have them out for
consultation. The PSNC expects the draft PNAs
to attract opportunistic pharmacy or service
applications, he said: “By 1 April [2011], most
applications will be in. This could be a challenge
to existing providers.” He also noted that over the
past few months there has been a “huge number”
of applications for 100-hour pharmacies.
The PSNC also has concerns about the
variable quality of PNAs, which are only required
to be revised every three years, and is already in
discussions with the DoH over their long-term
management, particularly as PCTs prepare for
abolition. It is also keen to establish a secure future
for the Essential Small Pharmacies Scheme, and
for pharmacies that operate according to local
pharmaceutical services contracts, which are due
for renewal next year, he said.
Optimistic of a positive outcome, Mr
Lutener said: “We are only really talking small
Existing 100-hour pharmacies won’t be closed down
amounts for these pharmacies. I can’t see the
Government trying to pull services in areas
where there is deprivation, but it is a difficult
political and financial situation.”
PNAs When consulting on pharmaceutical
needs assessments PCTs must send a draft of
the PNA, either as a hard copy or electronic
copy, to each consultee, the Department of
Health has said. Clarifying the required process,
it also says that directing a consultee to a website
link would not satisfy the requirements, and that
the statutory 60-day consultation period begins
the day the draft is received.
Contents
Cover picture: What pharmacists should do when
presented with a military prescription — Page 345
(Zabelin/Dreamstime.com)
News
Page 322 Deadline for completion of
pharmacy training
Page 322 Call for appraisal of RP Regulations
Page 322 PJ Online users unsure on
scientists
Page 325 First prescription service may be on
its way soon
Page 325 Every community pharmacy should
have consultation room, says GPhC
Page 325 Rowlands trials diabetes risk tool
Page 327 Roflumilast launched as add-on
COPD treatment
Page 327 New drug for RA morning stiffness
Page 328 Supplements no good for joint pain
Notice-board
Page 329 Assorted announcements
Leading article
Page 330 The Society is dead: long live the
RPS!
Letters
Page 331 Letters to the editor
Comment
Page 336 Agenda Don’t forget pharmacists
Mr Lansley — your new NHS needs them
(R. Carroll et al)
Professional matters
Page 337 Delivering on its promise is the new
Pharmaceutical Society’s top priority
Articles
Page 345 Military prescriptions Do you know
what to do when you are presented with a
military prescription? (E. Williams)
Page 346 My dream about DTP distribution
(R. S. Sangha)
Page 347 Supervision Why does supervision
matter to us? (C. Armstrong and S. Gohil)
Page 348 Landmark drugs How
erythropoietin transformed the lives of kidney
disease patients (J. Bryan)
Didapper
Page 352 Topical observations
The Society
25 September 2010
Vol 285 No 7620
Page 353 Transactions and Official Notices
(Vol 285) 25 September 2010
www.pjonline.com