Pharmacy contract take up is strong
(Published 13 December 05)

Pharmacy contract take up is strong, says new research from Health Direction...but 14% of PCOs are still not ready to implement the Contract. (First published July 2005)

New research from Health Direction, the NHS business intelligence specialists, has revealed that PCOs have made significant inroads in delivering on the new Pharmacy Contract. However, 14% of PCOs are still not ready to implement the Contract. The roll-out of national pharmacy pilots is also relatively immature, with just 14% of PCOs involved in two or more national pharmacy pilots.

The research findings are taken from Health Direction’s Sophistication Index, which uses over 500,000 pages of NHS information analysed by qualified pharmacists to assess the ability and sophistication of individual PCOs to commission services.

Significant findings of the research include:

To what extent is the PCO ready to implement the pharmacy contract in terms of structure and activity?

• 14% are not ready to implement the contract; slow uptake
• 43% have pharmacy development groups in place, the Community Pharmacist on PEC and have established a Medicines Management Committee
• 29% as above as well as involvement in a national pharmacy pilot
• 14% as above but part of two or more national pharmacy pilots

Are Community Pharmacists involved in local pilots with their PCOs?

• 10% - Planned work mainly
• 66% - Some pilot work in some pharmacies
• 24% - Lots of pilot work / projects / pharmacy development groups and services

How developed is the community pharmacy clinical governance process in the PCO?

• 50% - Little development
• 33% - Some activity
• 17% - Baseline assessment, pharmacy plane, community pharmacists engaged in CG activities

Has the PCO undertaken a serious review of elderly medication?

• 32% - Review undertaken in 2003 or later
• 47% - Review in 2002
• 21% - Significant review undertaken or carried out in 2001 or before

PCOs managing Prison Services

• 69% - not providing Prison Services
• 4% - PCTs with prison populations but healthcare is not commissioned through the PCT
• 20% - Second wave PCT/Prison partnerships
• 7% - First wave PCT/Prison partnership and members of the Prison Development Network

PCOs involved in LIFT development and at what stage

• 50% - not involved
• 9% - 3rd wave
• 24% - 2nd wave
• 6% - 1st wave

Duncan Alexander, Managing Director of Health Direction, said:
“The new pharmacy contract has presented pharmacy chains with the opportunity to provide a wider range of commissioned services. The picture across the UK’s network of PCOs is in essence a mixed bag, with strong signs of real progress combined with areas that remain relatively immature. Pharmacy chains which are able to identify and target Primary Care Organisations that have a need for pharmacy-based services or those PCOs who are more fully prepared to implement the pharmacy contract will see the biggest returns.”