Pharmacists paid £12m for supplying drugs

TWO pharmacists receaived nearly £12m collectively for supplying drugs in the Western Local Commissioning Group area over the past three years.

One pharmacy contractor was paid £6,007,000 between 2008 and 2011 whilst the other was paid £5,857,000.

The first contractor received the 12th (£1,883,000), 15th (£1,995,000) and 17th (£2,129,000) highest sum of any pharmacist in Northern Ireland over the years 2008/9, 2009/10 and 2010/11 respectively.

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The second received the 16th (£1,823,000), 18th (£1,897,000) and 16th (£2,137,000) highest sum over the same three years respectively.

Health Minister Edwin Poots revealed the expenditure in response to an Assembly Question from DUP MLA Jonathan Craig but withheld the identity of the pharmacy contractors.

Mr Craig asked for details of the pharmacists who received the most money for dispensing prescriptions in each of the last three years, including their locations and the amount of money each received.

Mr Poots provided the figures stating: “The Health Service holds contracts with pharmacy contractors at each location and not individual pharmacists. Each pharmacy that dispenses Health Service prescriptions will have a contract.”

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He explained that if a pharmacy is sold then a new contract is set up.

The figures include reimbursements to contractors for ingredient costs of medicines, dispensing fees, professional fees and all other related payments.