CPW will respond to consultations, such as Welsh Government or General Pharmaceutical Council consultations, where the outcome of the consultation could have an impact, of any kind, on the delivery of the community pharmacy contractual framework or the viability of the community pharmacy network. CPW will also respond to any consultations where there is an opportunity to make a case for a greater contribution from community pharmacy. Responses to consultations are listed below:
February 2020: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: Community pharmacies: promoting health and wellbeing
NICE has recently consulted on a quality standard which covers how community pharmacies can support the health and wellbeing of the local population. It describes high-quality care and services in priority areas for improvement and is primarily aimed at commissioners, service providers, health, public health and social care practitioners, and the public. CPW has responded to this consultation on behalf of contractors in Wales and our response can be accessed
here.
November 2019: Welsh Government consultation on Drug Reimbursement Reforms
This was an important consultation by the Welsh Government, which followed on the heels of a similar consultation in England’ which put forward a number of key changes to the way that contractors in Wales would be reimbursed for the medicines they dispensed to patients. The response from CPW to this consultation can be viewed
here.
November 2019: National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Wales) Regulations 2020
This important consultation proposes changes to market entry arrangements moving away from the current ‘necessary and expedient’ requirements to a mechanism of market entry based on Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. The draft regulations also proposed to introduce sanctions for contractors who are in breach of their contractual requirements. A copy of the CPW response to the consultation can be viewed
here.
August 2019: The Substance Misuse Delivery Plan 2019-22
The Welsh Government consulted on its plan for the improved delivery of services to people who misuse substances. CPW has identified in its consultation response the ability of the community pharmacy network in Wales to make a mire meaningful contribution to the support of this vulnerable group of people. A copy of the CPW response can be viewed
here.
July 2019: Quality and Engagement (Wales) Bill
On the 17 June 2019 the Welsh Government introduced the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Bill which will:
- strengthen the existing duty of quality on NHS bodies and extend this to the Welsh Ministers in relation to their health service functions;
- establish an organisational duty of candour on providers of NHS services, requiring them to be open and honest with patients and service users when
- things go wrong;
- strengthen the voice of citizens, by replacing Community Health Councils with a new all-Wales Citizen Voice Body that will represent the interests of people
- across health and social care; and
- enable the appointment of Vice Chairs for NHS Trusts, bringing them into line with health boards.
CPW’s response to the consultation can be viewed
here
May 2019: The National Health Service (Welsh Language in Primary Care Services) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2019
Recently-introduced regulations have increased obligations for GPs, dentists, opticians and pharmacists to improve the use of the Welsh Language in Primary Care. The new responsibilities build upon Welsh Language Standards introduced in 2018. A copy of the CPW response to the original consultation can be viewed
here. To support contractors CPW has also produced a simple guide to the new responsibilities which can be viewed
here.
April 2019: How do we assist Welsh Ministers in measuring a nation’s progress?
The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on a small set of national indicators against which national milestones for Wales will be developed. National milestones for Wales are intended to assist Ministers in assessing progress towards achieving a prosperous, resilient, more equal and healthier Wales, with cohesive communities, a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language and a globally responsible Wales. These are the seven well‑being goals set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The consultation also asks whether any revisions need to be made to the existing national indicators. CPW’s response to the consultation can be viewed
here
January 2019: GPhC consultation on the Draft 2019 Fees Rules
CPW responded to the GPhC proposals to increase registrants and premises fees for 2019. A copy of the CPW response to the proposal can be viewed
here.