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Events
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11/30/2009
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Pharmaplus vows to help members through tough time
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The London Marriot hotel was packed with Pharmaplus members
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Pharmaplus held it annual event on November 7, where managing director Hiten Patel promised to support the company’s members through a difficult period in the profession.
Over 350 Pharmaplus members, suppliers and guests attended the annual Pharmaplus event held at the London Marriot Hotel, Grosvenor Square, to celebrate the work they have done together over the year. The evening started off with a few words
from Pharmaplus managing director, Hiten Patel, who told the audience that failure of the pharmacy contract to deliver on its original promises and other things like the responsible pharmacist “debacle” had led to an administrative nightmare for Pharmaplus’ members.
He added: “There is no new money, no new services being commissioned and in fact, a decrease in payments for the prescriptions that we dispense today.
“Make no mistake, to cope on your own with what I have mentioned, you in community pharmacy at present, quite rightly feel vulnerable and very isolated.”
Despite the problems that pharmacists are facing, Patel reminded members of the role of Pharmaplus as their business partner, offering commercial and professional support especially in these difficult times for the industry.
“Pharmaplus’ role is to help alleviate this administrative burden so you can be less stressed and there is a lot of it about in community pharmacy. We allow you to remain focused on building your business.
“Pharmaplus will always try to develop innovative services and will remain diligent and vigilant on the commercial offering to its members but importantly give a commitment to you, that we will continue to create an environment, to enable you to run your core and new business opportunities efficiently and profitably.”
In the past year, Pharmaplus has offered members administrative support for compliance to the increasing regulatory burden in community pharmacy. In addition support has been provided for training and development, CPD, MUR, counselling skills and introduction of non-NHS dependent business such as Making the Most of Medicines (MMM) service.
The team at Pharmaplus also recently launched a new service which gives pharmacy customers direct access to a private consultation service with a medical practitioner from the pharmacy. This helps pharmacists to supply customers with Prescription Only Medicines (POM) in an emergency.
John Turk, chief executive officer of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), was chief guest speaker and he said that he hoped to take the entrepreneurial spirit of the independents and carry this throughout the NPA.
He said: “We must raise our heads above the parapet and champion the interests of independents. The biggest challenge facing us today is the outrageous situation around changes in the supply chain. We meet very regularly with manufacturers and they are in no doubt about the degree of anger and frustration over the chasing of product”.
On the subject of Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) Mr Turk added that “the NPA is delivering the message that EPS must deliver benefits for pharmacists. It must be safe and it must improve what pharmacists do”.
Mr Turk also encouraged independents and multiples to work together to drive change in the industry, likening the independents to the “cavalry, nimble, innovative and fast moving”, with the multiples providing the “strength and muscle of the artillery’s big guns”.
He added, on a positive note, that the ultimate strength of independent pharmacy being “their entrepreneurship, relationship with customers and accessibility in the heart of the community”. He went on to say “the opportunity exists for community pharmacy to lead and take up pole position in the public health agenda”.
The evening offered something for all, with savoury dishes from a distinctive Asian chef to entertainment from professional comedians and dancers. After dinner, Mr Turk embraced the event and danced to Bollywood music, with the rest of the Pharmaplus members.
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