This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Executive responds to report on retail pharmacies
17/01/2003
A Office of Fair Trading report on the UK market for
retail pharmacies - and whether consumers are best served
by current entry controls for NHS prescribing - will now be
subject to extensive consultation in Scotland.
Copies of the report have gone to ministers in all four
UK health departments.
Deputy Health Minister Frank McAveety said today:
"Community pharmacies are a very important part of
primary care services in Scotland, particularly in our
inner city and rural communities where they play a key role
in the network of local services.
"The recommendations in this report have potentially
significant implications, not only for community
pharmacists but, importantly, for patients as well.
"We shall, therefore, consider the report and its
recommendations very carefully. In doing this, we will
listen to the views of all key stakeholders before
responding. We will be arranging meetings with the
appropriate bodies and welcome any written submissions from
interested parties.
"We greatly value community pharmacies and we are
committed to working in partnership with them in as part of
primary care policy."
Consumer interest issues are a reserved matter for the
UK Government. Health is a devolved issue and it will be
for Scottish Ministers to decide what action, if any,
should be taken regarding the statutory arrangements for
controlling entry to NHS Pharmaceutical Lists which were
introduced in 1987.
Any intention to change those arrangements would be
subject to full public consultation under the normal
Scottish Executive process.
Regulations made under the NHS (Scotland) Act 1978
provide that a pharmacy shall be granted the right to
dispense NHS prescriptions only if it is "necessary or
desirable" to secure the adequate provision of
pharmaceutical services in the neighbourhood.
It has been agreed that reaction and views of
stakeholders in each country should be directed to their
respective Health Department. The Department for Trade and
Industry (DTI) will co-ordinate a response from across
Government.
The OFT report is available on its website:
www.oft.gov.uk
This release was published on 21/01/2003