Internet pharmacies get go-ahead

The move follows a decision to ease the rules on where new pharmacies can be located.

Under the plans, pharmacists opening in large shopping centres or for more than 100 hours a week will find it much easier to get a licence.

More licences will also be made available to pharmacists opening in new one-stop primary care centres.

While the proposals only apply to England, policies are being reviewed in other parts of the UK. Scotland and Wales have already rejected calls to relax the rules entirely.

Rule change

Some pharmacies already allow customers to order or buy medicines online. However, under the current rules they must also have a "bricks and mortar" store before they can do this.

Under these latest proposals, licences will be available for the first time to those opening internet-only and mail order pharmacies.

The Department of Health said there would be strict rules to ensure that internet-only pharmacies provided a professional service.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, which represents community pharmacists on NHS matters, said online pharmacies would have to be monitored closely.

"There will have to be constraints on how medicines are delivered," said Sue Sharpe, its chief executive.

"They will have to make sure that the medicines do not fall into the wrong hands."

The changes follow last year's report from the Office of Fair Trading, which called for the sector to be deregulated.

The OFT said relaxing the rules on where new pharmacies can be located would save patients and the NHS money.

John Vickers, its chairman, criticised the government's decision not to relax the rules entirely, calling it "a missed opportunity".

At present, anyone interested in opening a pharmacy and dispensing NHS prescriptions must apply to their local primary care organisation for a contract.

This process is aimed at ensuring there is a good spread of outlets around the country and pharmacies are not just located in profitable areas.

But it also means that some people are refused contracts if a pharmacy already exists in the local area.

There are currently over 12,000 retail pharmacies with NHS contracts across the UK.

Local community pharmacists had strongly opposed calls to deregulate the sector, saying it would put many of them out of business.

'More choice'

Health Minister Rosie Winterton said the proposed changes would give patients more choice.

"We are determined to improve access to, and the choice of, pharmacy services," she said.

But John D'Arcy, chief executive of the National Pharmaceutical Association, said the proposed changes could put some pharmacies out of business.

"The opening of new pharmacies under the new exemptions will serve to suck business away from existing pharmacies.

"If this happens, existing pharmacies may be forced into reducing the level of services on offer and in extreme cases, existing pharmacies may be forced into closure."

Any changes to the current rules will require new legislation. This is unlikely to be introduced until after the next general election, expected next year.