Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Revealed: the VAT loophole driving NHS pharmacy services into hands of private sector
‘Lucrative hospital pharmacy services are being sold off to private companies such as Boots and Lloyds because a tax loophole puts the NHS at a huge disadvantage when bidding to keep them publicly operated, it can be revealed.
Health trusts have been putting dozens of hospital pharmacy contracts out to tender in recent months, as part of an NHS-wide drive to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Only this week, London’s Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals offered its pharmacy services up for tender for seven years, advertised at £3.5m.’
