As the refusal of signing a contract by the end of this month might snatch Government funding for six pharmacies, the Southland District Health Board is now being blamed for brinkmanship. Under this contract, it was made obligatory for all the pharmacies in New Zealand to sign agreements regarding assurance of fund sustainability with the district health board.

Initially saying that no agreement has yet been signed, Quins Pharmacy, Bernie McKone, after he was threatened regarding loss of all the payments if not signed before 31st March, said that he was in talks with the board. The owner is now accusing SDHB and saying that he has asked the DHB regarding notifications to be provided to 35 staff.

In another allegation, Mr. McKone of Waikiwi Pharmacy shared how the board was instructing him to charge people with less to alter even in cases of offering credit to the patients by the pharmacy companies.

Don Anderson, a Dunedin Pharmacist, also said that due to fear of losing more than half of his income, he signed the agreement under pressure. This new scheme might increase the payment per prescription up to $200 for the
30c and $1.20 per prescription item charged presently, he said.

On the contrary, clarifying the step, Southland District Health Board’s Chief Executive Brian Rousseau said the decision was a national policy and that it has to be implemented even of pharmacies are not liking it.