NPA Board Meeting - January 2009, UK

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 08 Feb 2009 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

NPA Chairman, Paul Bennett, comments on some of the items discussed at the January 2009 board meeting:

1. Pharmacy Order 2009

"We will be making strong representation on the scope of the General Pharmaceutical Council's (GPhC) regulatory function. The NPA Board is concerned that community pharmacists should be represented on the GPhC. The proposal for differential fees for inspection needs careful consideration, it would be completely unacceptable if those who offer clinical services are penalised for their innovation. Close attention must be paid to the existing regulatory burden borne by our members, for example, the new regulatory body must take account of the existing inspections carried out by Primary Care Organisations to avoid unnecessary duplication of work."

2. Assuring the quality of commissioning of pharmacy services

"The engagement of community pharmacy with primary care organisations is of increasing importance to our members. Existing relationships between pharmacy and the NHS are good in some areas but poor in others. The NPA will be focusing on this issue over the coming months and the Board has mandated the Association to develop a programme aimed at ratcheting up the priority of local commissioning."

3. Chlamydia testing and treatment

"The NPA's work to secure a role for the sector in testing and treating people with Chlamydia has been well received by our members. We are particularly pleased that even before any national advertising we are seeing an increasing number of tests being received for analysis by Gordon Laboratories. I would again urge NPA members to take advantage of the publicity generated by the launch of 'Clamelle' to the public, and set up the NPA Chlamydia testing service, by getting in touch with the Association."

National Pharmacy Association

• Additional
• References
• Citations