On Monday 20th May 2013 Which? magazine published a report describing some mystery shopping visits to community pharmacies in which test purchases of medicines for migraines, heartburn (by a patient taking warfarin) and diarrhoea (by a patient who had been experiencing symptoms for two weeks) were made.

In some cases Which? judged that the advice given was unsatisfactory (e.g. because sales could lead to drug interactions or patients were referred to GPs unnecessarily) and it concluded that some high street pharmacies were giving customers poor advice, with independent pharmacies falling behind the big chains and supermarkets.

Ahead of the publication of the report PSNC issued a briefing to LPCs which set out the committee’s response to the report as well as some key messages that LPCs could use in response to any questions on the report.

These key messages may still be of use to LPCs or contractors facing similar questions from patients or journalists and can be downloaded here.

For more information please contact Zoe Smeaton, PSNC Communications Manager.

To browse other PSNC briefings on the healthcare landscape click here.