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MP FOR THE Gosport
constituency, Peter Viggers, is to highlight concerns about
the potential loss of local pharmacies in
the area, following the Office of Fair Trading’s report
in January which recommended the abolition of all entry controls
in the pharmacy sector of UK business.
On Thursday, he is to question the Secretary of State for
Trade and Industry on the nature of representations received
on the subject of community pharmacies.
Peter said today, “If adopted, the OFT’s
recommendations would allow anyone wishing to provide NHS
pharmaceutical
services to apply to the local NHS for a contract. This would
result in an increase in the number of out-of-town supermarket
pharmacies, in pharmacies owned by GPs and located practice
premises.
“Neighbourhood
pharmacies face the prospect of being squeezed out by these
developments, leading to access problems
for the most vulnerable in our community who rely on these
local services, and this cannot be acceptable.
Local pharmacist
Peter Gamblin said, “We are very
appreciative of the efforts that Peter Viggers is making
to highlight our concern that neighbourhood pharmacies will
be forced out by competition from supermarkets. In-store
supermarket pharmacies will simply not be able to provide
the same level of advice and service within the community
that independent pharmacies currently provide”. |
