§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when in 1979 he expects to be able to assess how his new arrangements for payment to pharmacists have fared; and if it will be relevant for the negotiating committee to seek arbitration.
§ Mr. MoyleIt has been agreed with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee that a review of the effects of the differential payment system will take place at the end of this year.
I cannot anticipate the outcome of the review.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if 1978 is the first year in which the rate of pharmacy closures has decreased; and if his policy to help the smaller pharmacists is 426W designed to continue this decrease in closures.
§ Mr. MoyleAccording to the records of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain the annual rate of pharmacy closures has decreased in each of the last two years. The net reduction in the number of pharmacies in 1977 was the smallest since 1963.
The new system of payment for National Health Service dispensing is specifically designed to help smaller pharmacies, which are at most risk of closure, by ensuring a more equitable distribution of the funds available. This should reduce their vulnerability and thus help to maintain an adequate network of pharmacies.