The way Community Pharmacy is funded is going to change over the coming years.
We have been told by Sue Sharpe, the Chief Executive at the PSNC, that the changes will be evolutionary and not revolutionary - so hopefully we'll still be left with some of the baby in the bathwater when everything changes. Personally I'm in favour of this cautious approach...I don't want to give funding away without guaranteed adequate funding coming back in a different form. Other pharmacists, however, have stated that we must have accelerated change to a completely new contract - to ensure we get our fair share whilst uncertainty exists...Perhaps the answer lies in the mid-ground - a relatively quick introduction of a new contract that rewards clinical outcomes, whilst preserving the "core" of our business?
One thing is certain, we simply cannot continue to do more and more for the same amount of remuneration...As costs go up, so should our profits. Pharmacy is a business and we need money to survive - like any other business. Any new services should come with new money to fund them - as new services require investment!
If we continue to be squeezed this isn't helpful to anybody...more stress leads to more risk...
We have been told by Sue Sharpe, the Chief Executive at the PSNC, that the changes will be evolutionary and not revolutionary - so hopefully we'll still be left with some of the baby in the bathwater when everything changes. Personally I'm in favour of this cautious approach...I don't want to give funding away without guaranteed adequate funding coming back in a different form. Other pharmacists, however, have stated that we must have accelerated change to a completely new contract - to ensure we get our fair share whilst uncertainty exists...Perhaps the answer lies in the mid-ground - a relatively quick introduction of a new contract that rewards clinical outcomes, whilst preserving the "core" of our business?
One thing is certain, we simply cannot continue to do more and more for the same amount of remuneration...As costs go up, so should our profits. Pharmacy is a business and we need money to survive - like any other business. Any new services should come with new money to fund them - as new services require investment!
If we continue to be squeezed this isn't helpful to anybody...more stress leads to more risk...
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