GPhC should bring sub-standard premises to task, says MedicX Pharmacy chief

Brilliant comments, Mr Jeffers. I think if we can all replicate a business model like yours, in a Health Center with no competition, then we can roll in enough cash to have a high spec refits/ premises standards like your stores. I agree there should be minimum standards of shop profiles, however, in this economic environment you would be a fool to invest in a refit or shop re-design, let alone obtaining loan finance to do this. Furthermore are you going to suggest to the GPhC that your stores are the set bench mark for premises standards?

well said Rajive !

It is easy for him to say when he shafted all the local chemist's ,competition is fine but we a level playing field and this as been going on for years why do not go the whole way and get rid independent's together !

I tend to agree with Rajive's (and indeed Mr Jeffer's) comments here. While I think it is necessary that pharmacy premises need to have a high standard of fit-out and facilities if pharmacies are to take on more clinical services. And I also believe the GPhC should make sure a minimum standard is maintained.

But the danger, as Rajive points out, it that independents could be legislated out of business by this idea, if there isn't a good level of financial assistance for independents to refit.

Rajiv et al
I do expect all pharmacies to have premises standards that are based on brand new pharmacies, regardless of which company pays for the fit-out or their location.
If you were at the conference you would also recall that I said that the vast majority of community pharmacies premises were good but that we were being let down by a minority.
In many instances this could be resolved with a bit of paint/ cleaning and reorganising their window displays to reflect healthcare. Not a huge sum of money just a bit of common sense.
It is in all our interests to ensure that pharmacy is percieved as a healthcare profession and premises standards are part (and I stress the word part) of our public image.

Steve, I agree with your ideal that all pharmacies should be up kept to a minimum standard, however, my point is this: if you were a small independent, with huge cash flow issues whereby you cannot even pay yourself, where would you best employ your capital that you do have. In this economic environment, you would have to be a clown to assume you can just go to a bank and ask for repairs & maintenance money. The fact that the PSNC has just announced the new funding arrangements will severely dent profits, albeit from an already dire baseline, then please enlighten us all on how we can fund your suggested standards.

I suggest you get to grips with the reality of financial situation facing independent contractors, we simply do not have money. To then suggest that the GPhC should bring these contractors to task is a bit of a kick in the teeth. I would appreciate if multiple owners like yourself put into a fund to help small contractors for the benefit of the whole profession, or is your agenda predatory, where small contractors concede defeat and sell up to the likes of yours and others multiple groups.

Reading your comments, its rather like somebody sitting on the fence feeling smug and taking a shot at others, simply because the majority of us are disadvantaged.

Thank You.

Lets get the PSNC to equate the bill of a new high spec refit into the contract, I bet theyll do us proud!!