Community pharmacies

Lawrie Quinn said,

"We have sent 4000 letters to constituents who were so concerned about the future of their local pharmacy that they signed a petition and influenced the decision of the Secretary of State.

"I am pleased that local people have used their influence in this way and helped me ensure the correct decision was arrived at for Scarborough and Whitby."

Lawrie Quinn MP 220 Portcullis House London SW1A 0AA Tel: 020 7219 5937 Fax: 020 7219 2477 www.lawrie-quinn.org.uk 21 July 2003 Dear constituent Thank you for your letter/for signing a petition about the OFT report on community pharmacies. With your support I've been able to make sure that Whitehall listened to our community on the important issues around the future of this shop and other pharmacists around this constituency As you know, the OFT decided to undertake a review of the economic effect of regulations that govern where pharmacies can be located. It was their decision to undertake the review, and as a government we support their ability to do so. However that does not mean that we need to accept their advice (although we often do). In this instance we felt that simply to deregulate the market - allowing anyone to open a pharmacy wherever they want to - was not the best way to proceed. Instead, as Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, said in the House of Commons in response to a question on March 20th, "There are limits to markets, particularly in the delivery of health services. It is essential that pharmacists should be able to fulfil not only their present valued and trusted role but the wider role envisaged for them in the NHS plan: simply deregulating the market will not do that. We therefore need a balanced package of measures." On 17th July we put forward that balanced package of measures. We propose to introduce a new obligation on Primary Care Trusts to consider the impact on consumer choice when considering applications for new pharmacies; boost patient choice through access to internet and mail-order services, which many patients prefer; make it easier for pharmacists to locate in large shopping developments - over 15,000 square metres gross floor space - but with measures in place to prevent adverse effects on local community provision, with a duty to provide a full range of services appropriate to local needs; and make similar arrangements and conditions for pharmacies that open for more than 100 hours a week and those taking part in the new one-stop shop primary care centres. introduce a new contractual framework for community pharmacy. The current contract is based on an agreement put in place in 1987 and needs updating. The proposed framework will provide a better basis to promote and reward high quality services for consumers. The aim is to introduce the new framework from April 2004. We will issue a consultation document in the summer that explains these proposals in more detail. Taken together we believe these measures will continue to raise standards for patients, will support the needs of small businesses, and will do so without jeopardising the vital role played by community pharmacies particularly in poorer and rural areas. I hope you find this reassuring Yours sincerely MP for Scarborough & Whitby

OFT's report can be found at: http://www.oft.gov.uk/Market+investigations/Investigations/pharmacies.htm. Queries on the content of the report should be addressed to OFT contact Paul Mathews on 020 7211 8898. Hansard of DTI oral question on OFT report (20th March) can be found at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/cm030320/debtext/30320-02.htm#30320-02_sbhd1 Press release of 26th March can be found at: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/gnn/national.nsf/TI/928E436381AF2CE480256CF5005ADA0F?opendocument Government's response to the OFT report, on 17th July can be found at http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics2/pharmacy.htm The government's policy towards pharmacy can be found at: http://www.doh.gov.uk For further information, contact My Scarborough & Whitby office at 01723 507000 or 01947 821733