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Health Bill [HL]

I am a fan of pharmacists and pharmacies. There is no question in my mind that they are the first port of call for a huge proportion of the population when seeking advice, healthcare or leaflets. The noble Baroness, Lady Howarth, mentioned people not picking up leaflets, but certainly in our local pharmacist’s there is an enormous amount of advice. They serve the population with important information. As a newly qualified doctor doing GP locums, I found that pharmacists got me out of holes time and again when I got the odd prescription wrong or the decimal point in the wrong place. The pharmacists know it all and they will always gently put you right. I would like that to go on record. I am also a huge fan of the noble Earl, Lord Howe, who has said everything that needs to be said on these amendments. I support his call for pilot schemes. I think there was one thing, but I am not sure; my mind may have wandered, so I do not know whether he really did mention this. There is a requirement that pharmaceutical needs assessments will, ""set standards for pharmacies to aspire to"" and, ""can … stipulate minimum standards for premises … The guidance goes on to provide that the PCT should be able to undertake a number of commissioning and regulatory functions"." I do not think the noble Earl mentioned that. That causes some concern among pharmacists I know. Will it be a conflict of regulatory power with the General Pharmaceutical Council?