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Letter to the editor…

NHS England abolition is positive but chaos may ensue

The impact of these changes could be positive in terms of redirecting resources and funding to frontline clinical services which include community pharmacy and wider primary care. While these changes aim to reduce bureaucracy and reduce costs, the impact on NHS staff, morale, uncertainty and chaos that may ensue cannot be underestimated.

The transition period may divert attention from frontline care and create delays and chaos to existing services.

The devil will be in the detail but having more local autonomy without the resource to enable and enact may also impact successful execution. The devil will be in the detail so we will have to wait and watch.

Luvjit Kandula, director of pharmacy transformation/chief officer, Community Pharmacy Greater Manchester.

Community Pharmacy England should not tolerate civil servants imposing non-disclosure agreements

The Government is committed to giving us funding but it may not be enough. The problem is our negotiators should get us 30-day payment like in Northern Ireland.  
Also, our negotiators should not sit with civil servants who impose non-disclosure agreements. Contractors should be involved in all parts of the negotiations without any non-disclosure clauses.

If civil servants insist on this, our negotiators should walk away. 

Umesh Patel, Leema Pharmacy, Sunderland.

NHS vision for community pharmacy is in peril

My first thoughts are to pay credit to dedicated NHS colleagues who will be facing a significant degree of uncertain.

NHS reorganisations are challenging, as are changes to structures and personnel.

The risk is that no matter how badly we think pharmacy has fared, we face the prospect of again trying to move up the agenda.

Sadly, for me, a long wished desire to see an NHS vision for community pharmacy is now in peril.

Ade Williams, pharmacist, Bedminster Pharmacy, Bristol.

NHS England has been an abject failure

I blame NHS England almost entirely for the position that community pharmacy currently finds itself in.

I've never come across another institution which is as impervious to accountability. It has been an abject failure.

Of course, all change comes with risk, but I think this is a brilliant opportunity for a fresh start and a new approach.

Mike Hewitson, pharmacist and chair of Community Pharmacy Dorset.

Pharmacy First has been a huge wasted effort

We have been involved since the service’s inception. We were very excited. Sorry to use these words but it has been rubbish.

All the time we have spent training and we have not been able to tap into any of the lump sum monies.

I am sorry to say it has been a huge wasted effort. I don’t think we will be involved in any future schemes like that.

Rajesh Malde, Odessey Pharmacy, Kettering.

Companies use PF for income even if clients do not need treatment

I think this is a good service, freeing up lots of time for GPs so that they can deal with more complex cases. It has also helped awareness of clients regarding our ability to treat at least 30 minor ailments and seven clinical conditions.

However, my criticisms are as follows; Locum pharmacists need to register for their authenticator to work in each health authority.

And pharmacists are getting referrals from NHS 111 for conditions that need input from a doctor, such as vitiligo and chest infections.

Some companies are using Pharmacy First as an income source, even though the client may not need any treatment.

Shenu Barclay, Wheatley Pharmacy, Oxfordshire.

I have no hope of anything changing!

We have only managed to achieve the target number three times since the service started. We have no hope of hitting the new targets, even the lower thresholds.

I have proactively engaged with our local surgeries to encourage the use of the service but we’re having no success as the GPs are not interested in engaging.

The few engagements we have achieved are walk-in patients. I have highlighted the unfairness of the payment system to Community Pharmacy Greater Manchester at their annual general meeting but hold out no hope of anything changing.

Vinod Patel, Bradshaw Street Pharmacy, Wigan.

Want to get something off your chest? Get in touch by emailing neil.trainis@1530.com