New community pharmacy contract

• Abstract
• Purpose of health policy or idea
• Characteristics of this policy
• Political and economic background
• Purpose and process analysis
• Expected outcome
• References

Abstract

Subject to a ballot by pharmacists, a new contract for community pharmacists will be introduced on April 1st 2005. The new contract will reimburse pharmacists on the basis of the range and quality of services they provide, rather than on the volume of medicines they dispense, and is part of the Government's plans to create a more flexible, choice-orientated health care service.

Purpose of health policy or idea

The objective is to widen the range of services provided by local pharmacists, so as to offer a more convenient service to patients. Under the new contract, pharmacists will be financially rewarded for the range and quality of services they provide, rather than purely on the volume of medicines they dispense. For example, it is intended that community services will be reimbursed for checking blood pressure, monitoring blood glucose levels, offering smoking cessation advice, and promoting healthy lifesyles. Pharmacists will also be able to dispense repeat prescriptions without the patient needing to revisit their doctor for up to a year at a time, subject to the prior agreement of both the GP and the pharmacist. The new contract will be introduced on April 1st 2005, subject to agreement via a ballot by pharmacists (who are expected to approve the idea).

Innovationsgrad	traditionell		innovativ
Kontroversität	unumstritten		kontrovers
Strukturelle Wirkung	marginal		fundamental
Medienpräsenz	sehr gering		sehr hoch
Übertragbarkeit	sehr systemabhängig		systemneutral

Political and economic background

Change based on an overall national health policy statement

With the perceived need by Government to make the NHS more responsive.

Purpose and process analysis

Current Process Stages

	Idee	Pilotprojekt	Strategiepapier	Gesetzgebung	Umsetzung	Evaluation	Veränderung/Richtungswechsel
Implemented in this survey?

Origins of health policy idea

The current Labour Government, in line with previous Conservative administrations, aims to create a more 'consumer'-driven NHS, which they believe will improve the responsiveness of the system. The new community pharmacy contract is part of this wider reform agenda, where the intention is for health services to be provided by a more diverse range of providers than has previously been the case. This, it is believed, will expand choice, and make using the NHS more convenient for patients. Thus, the proposal fits in with the movement towards making the NHS more patient-led and less-provider-led, which has its roots with the introduction of new public management in the mid 1980s.

Initiators of idea/main actors

• Regierung

• Leistungserbringer

• Patienten, Verbraucher

• Wissenschaft

• Medien

Approach of idea

The approach of the idea is described as:
new:

Stakeholder positions

The Government are clearly in support of the idea, as it fits in with their current drive to expand choice in the NHS. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (acting on behalf of the pharmacists) and the NHS Confederation negotiated and agreed to the new contract, and the pharmacists are expected to support the new contract in a ballot to be held in late 2004. The Government expects patients to appreciate the greater flexibility in the supply of the many health care services that fall under the new contract.

Actors and positions

Regierung
Government	sehr unterstützend		stark dagegen
Leistungserbringer
Pharmacists	sehr unterstützend		stark dagegen
Patienten, Verbraucher
Patients	sehr unterstützend		stark dagegen
Wissenschaft
not specified	sehr unterstützend		stark dagegen
Medien
non-specified	sehr unterstützend		stark dagegen

Influences in policy making and legislation

In order to become policy, the pharmacists have to vote for the new contract in a ballot, which they are likely to do.

Actors and influence

Regierung
Government	sehr groß		kein
Leistungserbringer
Pharmacists	sehr groß		kein
Patienten, Verbraucher
Patients	sehr groß		kein
Wissenschaft
not specified	sehr groß		kein
Medien
non-specified	sehr groß		kein

Positions and Influences at a glance

Adoption and implementation

The main actors in ensuring the success of the policy will be the Government (in devising appropriate planning and reimbursement), the pharmacists (in initiating and developing the new services in community pharmacies, by acting on the financial incentives offered), and patients (in taking advantage of the services in community pharmacies, many of which were previously available only through their GP).

Monitoring and evaluation

Details of method of evaluation have not yet been released, but I would think that both the process of application and outcome will be monitored.

Expected outcome

I think that people will probably use pharmacists for repeat prescriptions and for assessing blood pressure and other minor procedures, as it will be far more convenient and less costly (in terms of time and, for example, travel costs) than visiting a GP. Pharmacists are also very capable of undertaking these extra tasks at no obvious danger to patients. Thus, the effects on access, and, potentially, costs, may be positive.

Impact of this policy

Qualität	kaum Einfluss		starker Einfluss
Gerechtigkeit	System weniger gerecht		System gerechter
Kosteneffizienz	sehr gering		sehr hoch

Too early to judge.

References

Sources of Information

• No specific publication produced as yet. Information obtained from the Department of Health website and media outlets.
• http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/PressReleases/PressReleasesNotices/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4091698&chk=yNYBq7
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3948495.stm

Author/s and/or contributors to this survey

Adam Oliver

Empfohlene Zitierweise für diesen Online-Artikel:

Adam Oliver. "New community pharmacy contract". Health Policy Monitor, 25/10/2004. Available at http://www.hpm.org/survey/gb/a4/4