Small pharmacies ‘facing financial ruin’

Changes to the way the National Health Service (NHS) pays pharmacies could spell disaster for some local shops, it has been claimed.

New guidelines scheduled for introduction in April 2008 are likely to mean that pharmacies which dispense less than 2,000 prescriptions a month will see their NHS income drop from ?18,000 to ?3,000, reports the Evening Standard.

The new system, which has been approved by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), is being brought in as part of a drive to persuade pharmacists to take on a greater role in the healthcare system.

However, David Kent of the Camden and Islington Local Pharmaceutical Committee told the newspaper that the changes would favour chains such as Boots and Lloyds, while many independents will struggle to stay in business.

“It’s disgraceful and will affect the most vulnerable. The community pharmacy is being sent to the scrapheap by big business. These chemists can’t survive without this money,” claimed Mr Lloyd.

The PSNC recently recommended to the government that it should develop a national programme that would allow community pharmacies to take on more responsibility for dealing with patients with minor ailments, in order to reduce the strain on the NHS.