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RPSGB: Prescription plans "amount to plain bribery"

20 Feb 2009

New prescription plans which would reward GPs for prescribing fewer drugs to patients "amount to plain bribery", the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) has claimed.

As a result of proposed strategy, doctors would receive money for prescribing fewer drugs.

Director of policy and communications for the RPSGB David Pruce said the agreements for GPs to be given "financial kick-backs … amount to plan bribery".

He added the payment of doctors to prescribe fewer or cheaper drugs is "the wrong approach", as the process is "a core role".

Mr Pruce concluded moves to leave pharmacists out of the prescription protocol were "morally wrong" and "could put the lives of patients at risk".

Earlier this month, the RPSGB revealed it had launched a framework to aid newly-qualified pharmacists.

The guidelines, called Pharmacy Practice: Medicines Focussed and Patient Centred, identify a range of tasks the professionals should already be capable of carrying out.