National Pharmacy Association Concerned At Wider Release Of Prescribing Data, UK

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 13 Aug 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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The NPA has responded to the NHS' Wider Release of Prescribing Data Consultation and expressed concern of the release of potential commercially sensitive data which could affect pharmacies neighbouring GP Surgeries.

Margaret Peycke, NPA External Relations Manager said: "If prescribing data is released at an identifiable Practice level then not only might some surgeries be identified but in the instances where a single pharmacy is close to a surgery; individual pharmacies could be identified. If, as often is the case, the pharmacy dispenses the majority of prescriptions written by that surgery the business turnover of that single pharmacy could be calculated."

Margaret added: "This information could be used by other companies wishing to; purchase the business; open a new pharmacy business with the Control of Entry regulations for deciding if a pharmacy is necessary or expedient; Open a pharmacy under the Control of Entry exemption clauses e.g. a 100 hour pharmacy."

National Pharmacy Association

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