Parliament breaks for its summer recess this month (25 July). Here is Pharmacy Voice's list of must-dos for the Government before MPs and peers leave Westminster for their constituencies and holiday get-aways.
1) End the uncertainty over the new system for market entry. It is almost six months since the official consultation on proposals for a PNA-based entry closed, and years since we started discussing such a change.
2) Issue a clear instruction to NHS Prescription Services to buck up its ideas or face a major overhaul. Pharmacy Voice wants a clear, timetabled, commitment to improving transparency, accuracy and efficiency.
3) Move forward discussions on changing the current system by which pharmacists can face criminal sanctions for honest mistakes.
4) Respond explicitly to the call from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Pharmacy for a firm 24hr obligation to supply medicines to pharmacies promptly.
5) Make firm commitments about pharmacy representation in the emerging commissioning architecture in health and public health, at all levels.
6) Remind the newly appointed Clinical Commissioning Group lead at the NHS Commissioning Board that the Government's publicly stated intention is that pharmacists will be involved in commissioning decisions. CCGs are developing their structures, staffing and culture as we speak. They should not wait until their go live date in April 2013 to think about proper clinical engagement. The Commissioning Board should be ensuring, through the authorisation process, that CCGs have deliverable plans for meaningful engagement with other primary care professionals.
PV chief executive, Rob Darracott, said:
"The business of government goes on over the summer, but decisions big and small are usually made or announced when Parliament is sitting. There are many urgent matters on the community pharmacy to-do list that need sorting out before the summer wind down. We are issuing this task list to remind the Government that it has a duty to act urgently on behalf of patients by removing barriers to improved community pharmacy services. Top of the list for urgent attention has to be the market entry regime, because the situation on the ground is changing day-by-day. The continued uncertainty is unwelcome, since uncertainty undermines confidence to invest at a time when pharmacy needs to be stepping up not hanging back.”
The Parliamentary recess runs from 25 July - 8 October. MPs break earlier than the Lords, 17 July.
