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PSNC responds to Mike O’Brien's announcement of a summit on medicine supply
On the 9 February, Minister for Health Services Mike O’Brien announced that he would host a summit in March to address medicine supply-chain issues.
Responding to the announcement, PSNC Chief Executive Sue Sharpe said:
"PSNC is aware of the scale of the problem, which we are monitoring closely. Pharmacists across the country are working around the clock to ensure patients' care is not compromised. Community pharmacies are having to spend significant amounts of time sourcing medicines for their patients - time that is not budgeted for in the pharmacy contract. Time spent chasing stock is time lost for patient care: MURs; expert advice; health checks; and a whole range of other services.
"PSNC is working constructively with representative bodies of every link in the supply chain, as well as the Department of Health, to find effective solutions. A collaborative approach will be crucial to addressing this issue, and we will look forward to attending Mike O’Brien’s summit in March".
Posted 11 February 2010