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Freedom of Information Publication Scheme for Community Pharmacists
Welcome to the Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd. pharmacists’ publication scheme. This is the publication scheme for the registered pharmacists who practice together within the practice at Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd.; it is about the NHS services which the Pharmacists provide, as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Introduction
This publication scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by the Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd. It is a description of the information about our pharmacists and pharmacy which we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness.
How much does it cost?
The publications are all free unless otherwise indicated within each class (with the £ symbol). (Where information is provided at a cost, the charges will be calculated as set out in Class 7).
How is the information made available?
The information within each class is either downloadable from the pharmacy website available in hard copy from Andrew Morrison, Superintendent Pharmacist.
Your rights to information
In addition to accessing the information identified in the Publication Scheme, you are entitled to request information about Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd. under the NHS Openness Code 1995.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 recognises that members of the public have the right to know how public services are organised and run, how much they cost and how the decisions are made.
From 1 January 2005 it will oblige the pharmacy to respond to requests about information that it holds about NHS Pharmaceutical Services, and is recorded in any format and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exemptions which have to be taken into consideration before deciding what information it can release.
New environmental information regulations may be introduced as early as 2003. These will enable similar access to environmental information as under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your patient medication records or any other personal information held about you and you can contact Andrew Morrison, Superintendent Pharmacist to do this.
Feedback
If you have any comments about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the Scheme,please write to Andrew Morrison, Superintendent Pharmacist
Classes of Information
All information at the Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd. is held, retained and destroyed in accordance with NHS guidelines.<!--[if !supportLists]-->Our commitment to publish information excludes any information which can be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or Freedom of Information Act 2000. Where individual Classes are subject to exemptions, the main reasons are e.g. the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This applies to all Classes within the publication scheme. The information on this Scheme is grouped into the following broad categories:
1. Who we are
Details of the pharmacy, organisational structures, key personnel and how we fit into the NHS
The South Staffordshire PCT has made arrangements with the Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd. for the provision of pharmaceutical services under section 41 of the National Health Act 1977. The Pharmacy is contracted to provide a range of NHS services. (A full list of these appears in Class 2.)
Key Personnel:
Andrew Morrison Director & Superintendent Pharmacist.
Paul Sharman Locum Pharmacist
Bill Ward Locum Pharmcist
Pauline Stevens Dispensing Technician
The pharmacy also employs other locum pharmacists from time to time.
Some information may be withheld, including personal, confidential information about individuals that is protected by the Data Protection Act.
Local Pharmaceutical Services Scheme. Under the Health and Social Care Act which amends the NHS Act, arrangements have been made for the establishment of Local Pharmaceutical Services Scheme by a Primary Care Trust. Regulations are in place. Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd. or the registered pharmacists are providing Local Pharmaceutical Services under a Local Pharmaceutical Services Scheme established by the South Staffordshire PCT Primary Care Trust.
2. Our services
The range of services we provide under contract to the
The range of services that we provide under contract to the South Staffordshire NHS Primary Care Trust includes:
Funded:
– dispensing of drugs, medicines and Drug Tariff listed appliances
– patient medication records
– repeat prescriptions
– services to care homes
– repeat dispensing schemes
-PGDs (Patient Group directions)
– Medicine Use Reviews
We also provide the following services without NHS remuneration:
Non funded:
– advice from the pharmacist
urgent prescription delivery service
– emergency supplies
– smoking cessation support
-dispensing of private and veterinary prescriptions
– provision of emergency hormonal contraception (this may be funded or non-funded) – influenza vaccinations
It is a requirement of the practice allowance that we receive from the PCT that we have a practice leaflet available detailing all our services.This is available from Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd.
Our inclusion on the List of the
The pharmacy keeps computerised patient medication records and is registered under the Data Protection Act.
The address of the pharmacy premises from which Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd. has undertaken to provide NHS services is:
11b High Street, Eccleshall Staffs ST21 6BW
Our opening hours are:
Monday– Thursday 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 6pm
Friday 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 5.30pm
Saturday 9am – 4pm
3. Financial and funding information
Funding details and charging policies
The prescription charge from 1 April 2008 is £7.10. Some patients can get free prescriptions under certain circumstances – please ask for leaflet HC11 (www.doh.gov.uk/nhscharges/hc11.htm). Anyone who has to pay and gets more than 5 prescription items in 4 months, or 14 in 12 months, could save money with a pre-payment certificate (PPC). You can call 0845 850 0030 to buy one over the phone or to get more details. You can also apply by post –please ask for application form FP95 (or see www.doh.gov.uk/nhscharges/fp95.htm).
A 3-month prepayment certificate costs £26.85 and a 12-month prepayment certificate costs £98.70. These charges are set annually by the Department of Health (see www.doh.gov.uk/nhscharges/hc12.htm for the latest figures).
The prescription charge is a tax paid directly to the NHS. It is not received by the pharmacist and does not form part of any remuneration to the pharmacy for NHS pharmaceutical services. The average ingredient cost of a dispensed item is £10.80 and pharmacies receive a dispensing fee for medicines of 90 pence per item (figures correct July 2003). Further information on the cost of drugs and appliances can be found in the Drug Tariff, available fromThe Stationery Office. The Prescription Pricing Authority (www.ppa.nhs.uk) produces the DrugTariff monthly.
Some information in this class may not be released because it is confidential or commercial information or its release may be prejudicial to the conduct of the pharmacy’s affairs.
4. Information about Policies, prescribing and prescriptions
Protocols in relation to prescribing protocols and standardoperating procedures relating to the dispensing of prescriptions, dataprotection
We have protocols and standard operating procedures relating to dispensing of prescriptions.
Copies are available from: Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd.
We are registered under the Data Protection Act and abide by the Data Protection Act principles.
5. Regular publications and information for the public
Guidance and Information Leaflets
There is a range of leaflets and books distributed by Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd.. As part of the practice allowance we receive from SouthStaffordshire PCT we display a range of leaflets. These are published from a variety of sources mostly from non-public funds. We occasionally receive information from the Primary Care Trust which we make available to the public.
6. Complaints : policies, procedures and contacts forcomplaints
Policies, procedures and contacts for complaints
The complaints policy about NHS services provided by Eccleshall Pharmacy Ltd. is in accordance with NHS regulations and is available on request from Andrew Morrison. If you wish to make a complaint contact Andrew Morrison.The complaints policy is in line with the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations and the NHS Complaints Policy. If you cannot resolve the problem or if you prefer not to raise the complaint with the pharmacy directly you may contact the South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust.
7. This publication scheme
In this class we will publish any changes we make to this publication scheme, the criteria on which our information management policies are made and a referral point for all enquiries regarding information management generally in the practice. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions to publications already available.
Cost of Information
For the most part, we will charge you only for hard copies (or copying onto media, eg CD-ROM). Some information is available free, but for others there may be a charge. The charges will vary according to how information is made available. Charges are as follows:
a) Via the pharmacy’s website – free of charge, although any charges for Internet Service Provider and personal printing costs would have to be met by the individual
(b) Leaflets and brochures – free of charge for leaflets and books on, for example, services we offer to the public. A list of these is available from within the Pharmacy
(c) “Glossy” or other bound paper copies, or in some cases a CDROM, video or other mediums, are for charge as in our publication lists from Andrew Morrison
(d) e-mail will be free of charge unless it says otherwise.
The charges will be reviewed regularly.
Useful resources
Web sites:
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
This is the Information Commissioner’s website
www.lcd.gov.uk
This is the Lord Chancellor’s Department website
www.foi.nhs.uk
This is the NHS Freedom of Information website
Primary Care Trust web site.
Publications
NHS Openness Code www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/codemain.htm
FOI Act 200 www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts2000/2000036.htm
FOI Act 2000 explanatorynotes www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk.acts/en/2000en36.htm
Code of Practice under Section 45 FOI Act 2000 www.lcd.gov.uk
Code of Practice under Section 46 FOI Act 2000 www.lcd.gov.uk
Copyright
Material available through this publication scheme is subject to the pharmacy’s copyright unless otherwise indicated. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided it is done so accurately in a manner which will not mislead. Where items are re published or copied to others, you must identify the source and acknowledge copyright status. This permit does not extend to third party material, accessed through the scheme. For HMSO Guidance Notes see www.hmso.gov.uk/guides.htm
August 2003
For those without internet access, a single printout as on the website would be available by post from Andrew Morrison, Superintendent Pharmacist or by personal application at the pharmacy. However, requests for multiple printouts, or for archived copies of documents which are no longer accessible or available on the web, may attract a charge for the retrieval,photocopy, postage etc. We will let you know the cost and charges that will have to be paid in advance. We will not provide printouts of other organisations' websites.
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