Harry Nespolon, president of the Royal College of General Practitioners, joins Luke Grant to discuss the stoush between chemists and GPs over powers to dispense medicines… as chemists use the corona­virus health crisis to push for a permanent increase in their power to issue customers with scripts for medications without a prescription.

“We cannot advise strongly enough against allowing ongoing dispensing arrangements to allow pharmacists to sell people a month’s supply of medication without a script because it poses a serious risk to ­patient health and wellbeing,” Dr Nespolon says.

“The reason patients should always see their GP for repeat prescriptions is because a GP knows their patient’s health history and provides ‘whole person’ care — they will use the consultation as an opportunity to discuss any health concerns and review the medication to make sure it’s the best ­option for the patient."