Health Secretary Alex Neill has ordered a review of applications to open pharmacies in rural areas following a controversial case in Killin.
Doctors at a GP surgery in the village have fought a campaign against a new pharmacy, insisting that it will have an adverse impact on their patients.
Under NHS rules, if Perthshire-based Davidsons Chemists opens a branch in Killin, the surgery will have to close its drugs dispensary service within a year, with the loss of its dispensary staff and additional income used to fund its third GP and extra services.
But Davidsons has accused opponents of merely trying to protect their own income. The issue was raised at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday during health questions.
Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant asked the health secretary whether he will “place a moratorium on granting licences for new pharmacies” in rural areas until after the publication of a review of pharmaceutical care. The Labour MSP argued that “opening pharmacies can have a detrimental impact on general practitioner services in remote and rural areas”.
Mr Neil replied: “I share the concerns but, under current legislation, I am not allowed to place a moratorium on such matters.”
Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford then pressed the minister to use other measures at his disposal.
He said: “As the cabinet secretary knows, I wrote to him about the potential impact on GP services of a couple of pharmacy applications in Drymen and Killin.
“Does he share my concern about the transparency of the process, the geographical parameters and the funding of GP services?
“I heard what the cabinet secretary said about a moratorium. He might not be able to go that far and he might want to explain that a bit further but what else can he do? It is time that we had an answer on the issue.”
The minister replied: “I have decided to review immediately the regulatory framework that supports the pharmacy applications process and the powers that boards are given in relation to dispensing GP practices.”
He added: “I am very sympathetic to the points that members who represent rural areas have raised.”
Speaking to The Courier after the exchange in parliament, Bruce Crawford said: “The cabinet secretary’s announcement follows representations I have made to him regarding a number of controversial pharmacy applications in rural parts of the Stirling area, including Drymen and Killin, which raised concerns over their impact on the viability of dispensing GP practices in those villages.
“A moratorium is not possible under the legislation, but I hope that the review will conclude that procedures used in these cases require to be changed in order that local circumstances can be more fully taken into account and that the wishes of communities carry more weight in determining future pharmacy applications.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Forth Valley said that it has already approved an application to open a pharmacy in Killin.
She went on: “We are aware of concerns regarding the Killin application and of similar concerns raised regarding pharmacy applications in other rural parts of the country.
“However, all decisions for new pharmacy applications in Scotland are governed by current national pharmacy regulations.
“The application to open a new pharmacy in Killin was approved by the Forth Valley pharmacy practices committee at its meeting held on April 3 2013.
“Two appeals were considered by the chair of the National Appeal Panel but were not upheld.”
She added: “The rules governing new pharmacy applications are set nationally and NHS Forth Valley, along with other NHS boards in Scotland, would take account of any future changes or amendments to the existing regulations.” for rural