Health Minister Rosie Winterton announced last week that,
following a recommendation by the Office of Fair Trading and a
subsequent public consultation, the government was proposing new
rules to control the location of pharmacies.
While the bulk of the proposals relate to shopping centre
pharmacies and one-stop primary care centres, the rules also allow
for the automatic acceptance of applications to set up pharmacies
that are wholly internet or mail-order based. The conditions are
that: the pharmacy must provide a fully professional service; and
the pharmacy must offer a full and prescribed range of services, as
determined by the Department of Health.
Such services might include, according to the Department of
Health, managing repeat prescriptions, helping patients get the
best from the medicines they are taking, and promoting healthier
lifestyles.
"We are determined to improve access to, and the choice of,
pharmacy services and to encourage innovation and excellence so
that community pharmacy is recognised as a key player in the
provision of NHS services," said the Health Minister.
