What is the role of the LPC?

What is an LPC?

•  The local organisation for community pharmacy

•  Members are community pharmacists: some are elected every 4 years by independent community pharmacy contractors, others are appointed by organisations representing multiple pharmacies

• Represents all the community pharmacy contractors locally – evenhandedly

• We are an independent and representative group with statutory rights

What is the legal status of an LPC?

• The LPC has legal authority from the National Health Service Act 2006

• The LPC is recognised by the National Commissioning Board (the terminology in legislation), which is now usually known as NHS England, as representing all community pharmacy contractors

• The LPC’s statutory rights include

o   NHE England must consult us on matters affecting pharmacy

o   The right to collect a levy from contractors to finance the committee’s work

What does the LPC actually DO?

• We are concerned with all aspects of NHS primary care that are relevant to community pharmacy

• We must be consulted on

o   New contract applications, applications for contract relocations, etc

o   Impact analyses for Local Pharmaceutical Services (LPS) bids

o   Fees for Enhanced Services

o   Any NHS England decision to require a pharmacy to change its hours

• We expect to be (and are) consulted on all issues relevant to contractors, such as:

o   Any arrangements affecting pharmacy services

o   Changes to local NHS structures – LIFT etc

o   Arrangements for monitoring the pharmacy contract

• We work with NHS England, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Public Health and other healthcare professionals to influence policies and decisions and to help plan services

• We support local implementation of the new pharmacy contract – such as negotiating Enhanced Services

• We seek to identify and access additional local funding for pharmacy services

• We co-operate with other LPC’s in the Mersey Region and with PSNC nationally

More General Role

• Promote local community pharmacy to primary care organisations and others

• Represent the views of all community pharmacists in the area – proprietors, employees, locums

• Establish good relationships with NHS England and others

• Raise awareness about local pharmacies and their services

• Liaise with NHS England on specific problem areas relevant to community pharmacy

• Engage in dialogue about NHS England plans to identify issues relevant to pharmacies

• Try to work with GP’s and others on commissioning local services through practice based commissioning

• Provide advice for community pharmacy contractors and others on a wide range of issues relating to NHS Community Pharmacy services

Want to find out more?

• All community pharmacists are welcome to attend open LPC meetings as observers

• Please contact the LPC Business Support Officer, Alison Williams on alison@cpcw.org.uk or 07828 832782