CB1: Postage Fees for External Pharmacies Added

[Muiredach]

We've learnt that CB1 Medical are introducing a £7.50 postage fee for prescriptions sent to external pharmacies.

While offering either entirely free patient care, or £50 per year, the clinic loses money on every single prescription sent elsewhere from the cost of Royal Mail Special Delivery <1pm envelopes.

We have already fed back that we're not sure on the regulatory compliance overall, as it does financially bias/incentivise prescriptions sent to their own pharmacy.

Other lower cost postage methods for external prescriptions are being evaluated, and could reduce this fee moving forward.

We're also aware Newgrove Pharmacy will cover/deduct the £7.50 fee from the total of any prescription invoice sent to them.

It's standard practice for some pharmacies to supply free pre-paid envelopes to clinicians - we're hoping some pharmacies may do this for CB1 prescribers, where fees can then be removed again for patients

We'll update as things develop.

 

[Rimmerworld]

The regulators invisible unless its Medbud Mamedica list thier own strains alpuabetically with m above a lol and wont send any scripts to external pharmacys. Whos regulating or enforcing that? Theres no one.

Whos supposed to be taking action? I wonder are they even aware.

 

[Muiredach]

and wont send any scripts to external pharmacys

They will send scripts to any external pharmacy, there's just a £10 fee similar to the above.

Mamedica list thier own strains alpuabetically with m above a lol

Again, I really don't think this should be happening either.

Whos regulating or enforcing that? Theres no one.

Care Quality Commission branded “not fit for purpose” as review finds “significant failings”

Health secretary Wes Streeting has said that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is “not fit for purpose,” after an interim review of the regulator of health and social care in England found significant failings, including a lack of clinical expertise among inspectors, inconsistent assessments...

www.bmj.com

 

[Rimmerworld]

They will send scripts to any external pharmacy, there's just a £10 fee similar to the above.


Again, I really don't think this should be happening either.

Care Quality Commission branded “not fit for purpose” as review finds “significant failings”

Health secretary Wes Streeting has said that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is “not fit for purpose,” after an interim review of the regulator of health and social care in England found significant failings, including a lack of clinical expertise among inspectors, inconsistent assessments...

www.bmj.com

The mamedica situation always confused me thanks for clarifying. CQC havent did anything to mamedica so no wonder cb1 started doing it. If you dont enforce the rules then people will assume they arent rules anymore.

 

[Muiredach]

If you dont enforce the rules then people will assume they arent rules anymore.

Indeed, and 6+ months ago we warned that this would happen. The problem is the toothlessness of clinic/pharmacy regulators when dealing with situations like this.

From the commercial side and CB1's perspective, I get their need to charge - but I also personally don't believe any clinic should be charging any more or less for accessing particular pharmacies. Neutrality and impartiality are incredibly important in healthcare/medicine.

There's been talk for a while of some special governmental body/committee devoted to medical cannabis, we'll see what happens. APPG for medical cannabis should start back up before long too - and that's where we could see real change instigated.

 

[BudWarrior]

but I also personally don't believe any clinic should be charging any more or less for accessing particular pharmacies. Neutrality and impartiality are incredibly important in healthcare/medicine.

Probably the only way to do this would be to require passing on of costs directly at market rates. Wouldn't surprise me if that's already implicitly required by existing dispensing regs / standards.