- Shops providing free NHS drugs can claim cash back
- Disputed claims were for paracetamol suspension, an antidepressant and an
iron supplement - Investigators also found out-of-date medicine mixed in with new stock in storage at the chemists
By
Emma Reynolds
06:53 EST, 2 August 2012
|
09:14 EST, 2 August 2012
Expensive business: Ferguson Whyte failed to keep drugs properly or ensure prescription claims made by his chief pharmacist were legitimate
The owner of a chain of chemists and his chief pharmacist have been struck off after claiming £80,000 of taxpayers’ money for non-existent NHS prescriptions.
Waseem Anwar, who managed Ferguson Whyte’s five shops in Manchester, over-claimed for paracetamol and antidepressants from the Prescription Pricing Authority in 2007.
The authority pays back pharmacists who have supplied free drugs to patients on the NHS.
The disputed claims were for £67,639 of
paracetamol suspension and almost £10,000 for an antidepressant and an
iron supplement.
Investigators also found out-of-date medicine waiting to be destroyed mixed in with new stock in storage at the chemists.
Anwar, from Manchester, was cautioned by police for
failing to dispense methadone responsibly in 2004 and for failing to
keep Temazepam securely in 2007.
Whyte was found guilty of a string of
charges including failing to keep drugs safely or put appropriate
systems and checks in place to ensure the safe running of the business.
He also failed to check the accuracy of claims made to the Prescription Pricing Authority.
Whyte, from Sale, has now repaid the cash. It is understood the company has continued to trade since being struck off at the end of June.
He still owns the business but has had to employ a superintendent pharmacist to run it.
Irregularities: The disputed claims at the five shops that made up Laudon Chemists were for £67,639 of paracetamol suspension and almost £10,000 for an antidepressant and an iron supplement
Announcing its decision on Anwar, the General Pharmaceutical Council committee said: ‘Your conduct was inappropriate, misleading,
dishonest and contrary to a key responsibility of the code of ethics.’
Of Whyte, it said: ‘These matters
indicate a failure on your part as superintendent pharmacist to exercise
appropriate control of the pharmacy in relation to the storage of stock
and, in particular to ensure that overarching standards and policies
were in place and adhered to; pharmacy staff with responsibility for
storing stock were given adequate training and supervision and
appropriate systems were in place and adhered to for pharmacy stock to
be stored under suitable conditions.’
Whyte did not attend the hearing and no appeals were lodged, the GPhC confirmed.
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