26 October 2010

NPA comments on minor ailment scale back

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has expressed its great disappointed at the news that the community pharmacy minor ailment service in Northern Ireland is to be narrowed to exclude coughs, colds and other self-limiting ailments.

The NPA’s Anne McAlister said, “Our members are going to feel the effects of this change very directly.  More importantly, the public will suffer reduced access to treatments just at the time of year when they are most needed.  Families with children, older people and the less well off will lose out the most.”

“This is transparently about saving money, not about need.  The service has proved extremely popular and we should be looking to expand the formulary not cut it back.

“The DHSSPS should not be reacting to budget pressures by reducing access to front line services.  Instead, they could achieve more value from the medicines budget by investing in adherence schemes such as the community pharmacy based medicines management service and attempting to reduce medicines waste.”

From 1st November 2010, coughs, colds, sore throats, nasal symptoms and allergic rhinitis will no longer be treated within the service.  Treatments for diarrhoea, headlice, threadworms, vaginal thrush, Athlete’s foot and Dhobie itch, however, will remain within the service’s scope.