NHS Resolution has rejected a GP surgery’s appeal against a decision to discontinue part of its dispensing services following the approval of a new pharmacy in the area.
Theale Medical Centre in Berkshire submitted its appeal following Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB’s February decision to grant Hetherby Ltd permission to open a pharmacy in the Reading suburb of Calcot.
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Considering Hetherby Ltd’s application, the ICB noted that a pharmaceutical needs assessment had identified “a gap in the provision of pharmaceutical services” and said there was therefore “a current need for a pharmacy in Calcot” delivering these services.
It said there were 61 dispensing patients living within a 1.6km radius of the proposed new pharmacy’s location, and that it was “inclined” that the dispensing services provided by five local GPs, including Theale Medical Centre, to these patients “should be discontinued” if the pharmacy application is approved.
Of the 61 affected patients, 55 belonged to Theale Medical Centre.
“Incremental erosion”
In its appeal of the decision, the GP surgery called dispensing income “a core component” of its financial model and said it “directly supports the infrastructure required to deliver safe and effective primary care services”.
It warned that the “incremental erosion of dispensing lists” across several practices risks reduced staffing capacity in dispensaries, impacts on medicine supply chain stability and “knock-on effects on the availability of integrated GP dispensing care in rural communities”.
Healthcare Plus Consulting, which responded to the appeal on behalf of Hetherby Ltd, said “only 55 out of the appellant’s 1,300 patients are affected. This equates to less than 5% of their patients.”
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“We are doubtful that the discontinuation related to the proposed pharmacy would ‘adversely affect’ the appellant,” it added.
The GP surgery’s appeal was rejected by NHS Resolution’s Pharmacy Appeals Committee, which confirmed the ICB’s original decision.
It contended that “no information had been provided” in support of the potential impact claimed by the surgery, “especially where 95% of dispensing would be unaffected”.
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It comes after a C+D poll revealed that 63% of community pharmacists feel it is justified to refuse to dispense to a patient for financial reasons.
And it follows data obtained by C+D showing that there was a 2.3% increase in GP referrals to Pharmacy First leading to consultations last year.
