There is arguably an increasing requirement for 24 hour access as the
population is increasingly inclined to want non-urgent stuff dealt with
out of office hours. Also with the drive to provide care "closer to
home" ie outside hospital, access to medicines is a necessary component
of the service.
If GPs are fit to dispense when pharmacies are closed, it is self
evident they are fit to do so when pharmacies are open. The alternative
view surely requires that the NHS commission pharmacy services through
the out of hours period as they do primary medical services....
Fay
m.wells wrote:
> Saul,
>
> I know that you, and the overwhelming majority, amounting probably to
> all, of your colleagues have your patients interests at heart; but
> there are a lot of people out there, including even some politicians
> (!) who would like to make it appear otherwise. Hence my suggestion
> that any reply to an MP should include a firm reference to 'patients
> interests'.
>
> As to what does actually serve patients' interests, I suggest that
> ready access to a dispensary would come high on the list; whether
> this is achieved by embedding the pharmacy in the surgery premises,
> or elsewhere, will depend hugely on local conditions. Frankly I
> don't give a damn about 'choice and competition' which the
> Government seems to bang on about. I am quite happy to be offered a
> choice of one (ie no choice) for access to a Pharmacy (or a GP)
> provided that the service offered is of a decent standard (which in my
> experience it invariably is). So I think it is a shame that one of
> the first things mentioned is the need to tackle 'poor performance'.
> I am also underwhelmed by all the stuff about pharmacies being open
> all hours; most prescriptions are for older, retired, folk (like me)
> who, if they can get to a pharmacy, are happy to do so on what used to
> be called office hours. I don't really see a need for 24/7 access.
> The people who seem to be pressing for this can manage to get their
> hair cut during office hours, so presumably they can get to the
> pharmacy then as well.
>
> Mike Wells
>
>
>
> Saul Galloway wrote:
>> As a doctor (you started it) I know it's about the patients/public.
>> As a patient you are perfectly positioned to give me the benefit of your
>> opinion as to what does serve the best interests of patients, and as a
>> doctor working on behalf of patients I'm all ears ;-)
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: GP-UK [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of m.wells
>> Sent: 31 October 2008 16:29
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Pharmacy white paper
>>
>> As a patient, I think it might be wise to include in your reply to
>> your MP, some comments as to what might best serve the interests of
>> patients.
>>
>> Mike Wells
>>
>>
>> Saul Galloway wrote:
>>
>>> I'm trying to formulate a reply to my local MP who has sent round to
>>> all the GPs asking for comments on the pharmacy white paper.
>>>
>>> http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/consultations/liveconsultations/dh_087324
>>>
>>> We are not a dispensing practice so I have not really followed the
>>> cut and thrust of the debate in any great detail, but my impression
>>> is of two sides battling it out to jealously guard the parts of the
>>> existing rules that commercially advantage their side. In principle
>>> I would like to vote for (or suggest he votes for) the option which
>>> gives the most level playing field, where the local pharmacy group
>>> can't simply veto new competition from GPs or other pharmacies, but
>>> where dispensing practices cant unfairly knock out existing
>>> pharmacies (or render it impossible to open one up) by controlling
>>> the flow of prescriptions.
>>>
>>> Any insight into the issues from the list?
>>>
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>>
>>
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>> Please inform the sender that this message has gone astray before
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>> 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the NHS. It's an opportunity to pay
>> tribute to the NHS staff and volunteers who help shape the service, and
>> celebrate their achievements.
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>
>
>
>
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