Healthcare
First
At the same time, the new contractual framework, launched in April, aims to give patients faster and easier access to primary healthcare by increasing the services offered in pharmacies.
For example, community pharmacists can now provide medicines reviews for those with long-term conditions, offer advice to improve public health on issues such as obesity and dispose of unwanted medicines.
Funding is shifting from medicine reimbursement to fees and services. These services offer an opportunity for Boots. Let me give you some examples.
One of the most interesting new services is for chlamydia testing. This is a completely new move for the NHS and Boots won the only contract to provide the service on the high street. Such work was previously only carried out by GPs. This initial contract is for 200 London stores and is worth £2m a year.
We are also able to offer new services under Patient Group Directions. This is a private dispensing service unique to Boots. For example we have recently introduced weight loss programmes in 66 of our stores which combine healthy eating advice with the ability to prescribe weight-loss drugs and we are signing customers up at the rate of 200 a week.
As you would expect we are also working closely with the NHS in the development of Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions which will, in time, change the way scripts are passed from GP to pharmacist.
So. There is significant change. But it offers us significant opportunities. Our trusted brand and network of pharmacies means we are well placed to capitalise on the changes.
LINK: Our second driver is "Only at Boots".
