The Government intends to have legislation in place by October next year that will allow all community pharmacies, including independents, to run centralised dispensing services if they choose. So announced Alistair Burt MP, community and social care minister, at this year’s Pharmacy Show.

“If we want further expansion [of pharmacy’s role] against a backdrop of significant financial pressures, we need to create the right climate for pharmacists to be even more efficient,” Mr Burt said.

The Government is to consult on changes to medicines legislation that will allow so-called ‘hub and spoke’ dispensing. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, the aim is to have the necessary changes in place by October 2016, he explained.
No further information was forthcoming GPhC: ‘critical time’ for future of pharmacy education and training about the nature and timescale of the consultation.

Speaking at the RPS annual conference in September, England’s chief pharmacist, Keith Ridge, said that large-scale centralised dispensing would be safer, more efficient, and free up pharmacy teams to spend more time with patients. However, chair of Pharmacy Voice, Claire Ward, fired out a warning to Pharmacy Show delegates.

The risk of the “Amazonisation” of medicines supply that could result from hub and spoke “would be disastrous for patients and the pharmacy network, which must be protected”. She described the move to allow centralised dispensing for independent pharmacists as “a train that is leaving the station”.

Events were moving quickly and the sector urgently needed to shape the direction of travel and “make sure it is on the right track”. Supply must not be separated from the existing network, she said, so pharmacists can continue to provide the necessary advice that will support medicines adherence.

No common cause

It is vital that community pharmacy is seen as integral to primary care, Mr Burt also said at the Pharmacy Show. However, he confirmed that there are no plans for a national common ailments service in England following the failed negotiations earlier this year.

Although it is NHS England that would be responsible for commissioning such a service, the minister said he is supportive of local minor ailment schemes. “Let us look at these and see what lessons can be learned.”