Blog
Retail Pharmacy – EPOS
The man most associated with the development of the Bar-code, Alan Haberman, recently died. The first product scanned in a US Supermarket was in 1974, and by the 1980's bar-code scanning had been widely taken up around the world. Haberman's original committee evolved...
Opening a new pharmacy
Many doctors are looking to move into purpose designed new premises with adequate parking. It makes sense for a pharmacy to be located nearby or inside if possible. Apart from very small schemes, the development of a new health centre will normally be undertaken by a...
Wholesale Dealers Licenses – importing from outside the EEA
It is quite widely appreciated that the manufacture of many prescription medicines, particularly generics, is done outside the EEA and that most large generic companies have factories in lower cost production countries. What is less well recognised is the regulatory...
Wholesale dealers license holders -Regulatory support
**** 2014 UPDATE ****Wholesale Distribution Authorisation holders – Regulatory Support So you've made it to this page and here is our 2014 update. We often receive enquiries regarding the type of authorisation or licence required from the MHRA to trade in medicines...
Pharmacy Contract applications – what if one opens near you?
I have been asked more than once what a pharmacist can do once an exempt category pharmacy contract, usually a 100 hour contract, is awarded nearby. Clearly the situation always varies somewhat from pharmacy to pharmacy, particularly depending upon the mix of NHS and...
Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)
Whilst we have been promised electronic Prescription transfer between surgery and pharmacy for several years, it really does look as though we may get the so called "Release 2" soon. Many (but not all) Pharmacy PMR providers already have so called "Clinical Authority...
Medicines Management – New Medicines service
The New Medicines Service (NMS) to be launched by October 2011 will give Pharma companies a potential opportunity to gain a more detailed insight into patients decisions about taking their newly prescribed medicines, particularly if they choose to work with...
Pharmacy suppliers entering the UK market
At the 2010 Pharmacy Show, about 6 small French health and beauty suppliers wishing to enter the UK market for the first time, took an area of stands together in order to attract interest either from distributors or from pharmacies directly. It is clearly quite...
Public Speaking In France
I am pleased to have been invited by the organisers of the French Annual Conference for pharmacists held in Paris to join in a debate, at the February 2012 Conference, concerning the importance to customers of the branding of pharmacies according to their membership...
Responsible Persons – Training & Qualifications
The MHRA have for some 2 years been advocating more formal training and more formal continuing professional development for Responsible Persons (RPs). The latest situation as I understand it is that the MHRA have put out to tender to training organisations, their...
Responsible Persons (RPs)
Smaller and brand new wholesale dealers in medicines are naturally unlikely to want to go to the expense of, or take the risk of employing a Responsible Person (RP) as an employee. The MHRA are therefore well used to encountering the use of so called contract RPs, who...
Exemptions to Control of Entry – Are PCTs using delaying tactics?
As PCTs cannot currently refuse exempt pharmacy contract applications, except when there are LPS services (Local Pharmaceutical services) being provided in the neighbourhood, they seem to be looking for alternative ways to ward off such applications. A customer of...