UCP DIARY : ALL THE NEWS TODAY!: September 2008

Tuesday

Direct Link : GG 31387

http://www.sapma.co.za/assets/attachments/PIASA/GG31387_Schedules_to_Act_101_of_1965_05_Sep_08.pdf

Thursday

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Number attending name of pharmacy
Vegatarian, Halaal or Menu preference.

Tuesday

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 23RD OCTOBER
A G E N D A
1. Welcome and Notice of the AGM read.

2. Apologies

3. Obituaries

4. Speaker – Mr Natie Finkelstein

5. USAP Report

6. Chairman’s Report – Mr Drew Horner

7. Treasurer’s Report - tabled

8. Membership
Resignations, New Members and Subscriptions

9. Minutes of previous AGM
Matters arising from the Minutes

10. Election of Office Bearers for 2008-2009

General

USAP REPORT : 369 AUGUST 2008

SOUTH AFRICAN PHARMACY COUNCIL ELECTIONS 2008
As you know the Council election is underway.

We feel it is important if not imperative that we support candidates who are and/or will represent independent retail Pharmacies.

In the light of this we suggest that you support the following candidates who will we trust represent the case of independent community based pharmacies.

The order of candidates is as per PSSA Newsletter #42.

· Lynn Ambler
· Charlie Cawood
· Keith Johnson
· Taki Kyriacos
· Rajatheran Moodley (Sham)
· Mogologolo Pasha

Please understand that you have a free choice. The list above are suggestions for you to consider.

Each voter can vote for up to nine candidates.
JULIAN SOLOMON

AGM MENU : 23RD OCTOBER 7 PM FOR 8 PM

Selection of 6 COLD and 5 HOT with 3 Puddings
Snacks Served on a Variety of Local Breads & Biscuits

COLD
Smoked Chicken with Orange Segments
Seared Tuna on Baguette
Thai Beef
Asparagus Rolls
Mini Foccacia with Grilled Baby Marrow & Peppers
Local Cheese & Biscuit Platter

HOT SNACKS
Lamb Sosaties with Dried Fruit
Tandoori Chicken Fillets
Vegetarian Pasta
Sundried Tomato, Spinach and Feta Vol au Vents
Vegetarian Springrolls

SWEETS
Fruit Salad & Ice Cream
Cape Malva Pudding
Choc Mousse

A full halaal table will be catered ….

USAP FLASH 20

RENAISSANCE HEALTH MEDICAL SCHEME
We received the following information from Bertus Struwig, CEO, Prosperity health with regard to Renaissance Health funds in Africa. Please note the exclusion to this guarantee is SA-Renaissance Health Medical Scheme (South Africa).

UNDERTAKING OF PAYMENT OF MEDICAL SERVICES AND TREATMENT TO MEMBERS OF THE RENAISSANCE HEALTH FUNDS/SCHEMES OF NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA, LESOTHO, MOZAMBIQUE, MALAWI, KENYA, TANZANIA AND MULTI-NATIONAL (THE SCHEMES)

I, Bertus Struwig, in my capacity as Group CEO of Prosperity Africa Holdings herewith provide you with a guaranteed undertaking of payment for all medical services and treatments provided to registered Renaissance health Fund/Scheme members of Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Africa students and Multi-Nationals using and/or obtaining medical services in South African or within the region.

The Renaissance Health Scheme members covered under this undertaking are indentified with a prefix to the membership number:

NA = Renaissance Namibia LS = Renaissance Lesotho
MZ = Renaissance
Mozambique WW = Renaissance Malawi
ZW = Renaissance Zimbabwe ZM = Renaissance Zambia
KE = Renaissance Kenya TZ = Renaissance Tanzania
MU = Renaissance Multi-Nationals PL = Renaissance Africa Students

Note: This guarantee only excludes SA = Renaissance Health Medical Scheme (South Africa)

SIZWE PRIMARY NETWORK
Please find attached a notice from YARONA NETWORK that is self explanatory. This pdf file is available as a fax should you not have seen it yet........ request via unitedcape@intekom.co.za

GUS FERGUSON

USAP INFORMATION FLASH : 19/2008

Dear Member

There has been a lot of understandable confusion amongst USAP members about the R400 X 6 deductions to help finance legal fees incurred by the pending court case on the matter of an appropriate dispensing fee. Because of our member database, we agreed to contact members (Chairman’s Report #367/2008) and urge them to make this contribution via our debit system to be passed on directly to the Community Pharmacy Legal Trust (CPLT) for the purpose of reducing the legal fees incurred by the PSF. We also believe that some background is necessary and here is an extract from a memorandum from Suzanne Bornman of the PSSA.

1. Support community pharmacy's endeavour to secure its future
All USAP members have received a request for contributions towards the current legal process regarding the dispensing fee for pharmacists. These funds are over and above the USAP membership fee, and the R25 per month deduction that is also sent by USAP to the Community Practice Legal Trust (CPLT). These deductions are separate from the normal debits and the amount is, as suggested by USAP, R400 for 6 months (R2400). This is to lessen the impact.

2. Background
The Pharmacy Stakeholders Forum (PSF), of which USAP is a member, has actively tried to show the authorities that the dispensing fee, published both in the draft regulations in March 2006 and the final regulations published in December 2006, is inappropriate. The PSF's efforts included various submissions to the Pricing Committee, meetings with the Secretariat to the Pricing Committee, a meeting with the Director General and a report to the Minister. Despite these activities, the regulations were due to come into effect on 1 January 2007. The belief that the fee is inappropriate motivated the decision to make an urgent application to the High Court for relief. As a result, implementation of the Regulations has now been delayed pending the outcome of the ensuing court case.

Frequently asked questions
1. Who is PSF?
The Pharmacy Stakeholders Forum (PSF) is the representative body of independent community pharmacies. The members of the Pharmacy Stakeholders Forum are currently the Pharmaceutical Society of SA (PSSA), the Community Pharmacist Sector of the PSSA (CPS), the South African Progressive Pharmacists Association (SAPPA), United South African Pharmacies (USAP), Alpha Pharm Pharmacies and Sparkport Pharmacies. Founding members also included Courier Pharmacies and Virtual Care.

2. Why PSF?
During the period when the pricing regulations were first challenged in court, a group of pharmacists, who mainly represent the previously disadvantaged communities, formed a new organisation, SAPPA. As SAPPA was not involved in the legal challenge, they were able to initiate communication on pricing with the Department. When the Minister announced the proposed dispensing fee model in 2006, an open meeting of stakeholders was convened in order to explore the profession's response to the proposed dispensing fee. This initiative resulted in the formation of the Pharmacy Stakeholders Forum to be a strong representative voice of independent community pharmacies representing approximately 80% of independent community pharmacies.

GUS FERGUSON

UCP DIARY : ALL THE NEWS TODAY!

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UNITED CAPE PHARMACIES

USAP REPORT : 369 AUGUST 2008

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USAP FLASH 20

USAP INFORMATION FLASH : 19/2008