Robert Walter MP meets Blandford GPs on future NHS plans

 <click here to see the original version of this article on Mr Walters' website>

Robert Walter MP (North Dorset) met GPs at The Whitecliff Group Practice in Blandford on Wednesday 23 July to hear their concerns about what a shake-up of the NHS might mean for rural general practice.

The practice partners and Manager Jane Kingsbury invited Bob to take a tour of the practice to see the many services that can now be accessed locally, including their dispensary, and to discuss their views of the Government’s Pharmacy White Paper that was published in April of this year[1].

The Whitecliff Practice, based in Blandford and Child Okeford, currently serves over 16,000 patients in the largely rural North Dorset area. The Practice is currently able to dispense medication through a dedicated team based at the surgery to patients living more than a mile from their nearest chemist; a service important to patients that GPs feel may be negatively impacted by the White Paper proposals for future changes in the NHS.

They believe that any loss of a dispensing service at the practice could be a real blow to their patients, and to many others in designated rural areas who are currently able to get their prescriptions dispensed directly at their GP practice.

Although the White Paper does note the importance of dispensing services, the Government’s response to a recent review of contractual arrangements for NHS pharmaceutical services stressed ‘a need to refocus commissioning away from dispensing services’, and this has caused concern amongst some of our local GPs.

It goes on to propose that instead of defining patients eligible for dispensing from their GP surgery as those living more than 1 mile from the nearest chemist, they would create a single condition based on the distance between the surgery and the nearest pharmacy. This could potentially hit market towns such as Blandford, where the nearest pharmacy will nearly always be within one mile of local GP practices, very hard indeed.

Although well intentioned - aiming to remove the current inequality that can see one resident able to pick up medication direct from their GP surgery and their neighbour across the road forced to go to the local pharmacy – the new rules could have the consequence of removing the GP dispensing service altogether. This would be tough on patients but also GPs, who rely on the income from the dispensary to fund other essential services, such as chronic disease management, currently offered by the Whitecliff Group.

Having met with staff and GPs this morning, and having heard their views on this subject and many others, Bob felt the meeting was informative and valuable for both sides. He intends to raise their concerns at his regular meetings with the PCT and has offered his assistance in making a representation to the Department of Health on this matter.

The Pharmacy White Paper and the proposals contained within will be subject to full consultation later in 2008.

After his visit Bob said:

“The NHS is a service that we can all be proud of, and in the year of its 60th birthday its current and future state is very much on the political agenda”.

“Following this morning’s meeting I am, however, more convinced than ever that we must never force change for changes sake, and that any shake-up of the NHS should take local diversity into account. That is why I set great store by hearing the views of my constituents on our health service, be they patient or professional”.

“Improvement in such a vital and all-encompassing service is always welcome, but I do think it is essential that everyone’s views are heard. I therefore welcome any consultation on this matter.”