'Nail in coffin' for pharmacies (From Watford Observer)

'Nail in coffin' for pharmacies

12:59pm Thursday 1st November 2007 in News

The decision to withdraw financial backing to pharmacies who open out-of-hours is "another nail in the coffin" of the health service, a pharmacist has said.

West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) will stop subsidising chemists who participate in a rota on Sunday mornings in South Oxhey and Carpenders Park and in a weekday evening pharmacy rota in Abbots Langley or Kings Langley, due to the number of non-subsidised alternatives such as supermarkets, from February 1, 2008.

The PCT consulted with pharmacies and sought the views of patients, where the main concern raised regarded out-of-hours access to elderly and vulnerable people without transport.

However, the PCT felt the withdrawal of the subsidy would have a minimal impact on patients.

Anish Shah, the pharmacist at Esom Pharmacy, in Bridlington Road, South Oxhey, described the decision as "disgraceful".

He said: "It's another nail in the coffin as more and more things are provided by supermarkets. They continually erode our business. They can afford to open pharmacies for longer and we have been penalised for it."

Mr SR Patel, from Abbey Pharmacy in High Street, Abbots Langley, added: "There's nothing you can do about it. We have to provide a service whether we are paid or not. In Abbots Langley we share the rota so we will have to work out something between us."

A PCT representative said: "The PCT aims to be equitable to patients and providers across Hertfordshire. There are no other rota arrangements in town locations in Herts; the one remaining rota is in a very rural area.

"Taking these factors into account the PCT has agreed to formally cease the rota subsidy payments to those pharmacies involved from February 1, 2008.

"The PCT will review the needs with respect to the guaranteed availability of palliative care and end of life medications out of hours. Current rota arrangements do not address this special need."

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