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Germany proposes more flexible opening hours for pharmacies
🇩🇪 Germany /Economy & Trade

Germany proposes more flexible opening hours for pharmacies

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency New plan
  • German pharmacies may soon have more flexibility in setting their opening hours under a new federal ministry regulation.
  • The proposed changes aim to allow pharmacies to operate with up to six hours of service between Monday and Friday, and up to three hours on Saturdays, potentially reducing weekly operating hours and personnel costs.
  • While the reform seeks to modernize operations, a patient advocacy group warns of potential negative impacts on service availability, particularly in rural areas.

German pharmacies are set to gain greater freedom in determining their opening hours, according to a regulation from the Federal Ministry of Health. The proposed changes, due to be presented to the Bundesrat on July 10, would allow pharmacies to maintain service for up to six hours on weekdays and three hours on Saturdays. This flexibility aims to enable more adaptable staffing and could lead to significant reductions in annual personnel costs, potentially saving around 40 million euros if 1,000 pharmacies reduce their hours by 12 per week.

that service will be maintained on one or more days between Monday and Friday for up to six hours during locally customary business hours.

— Federal Ministry of Health regulationDescribing the proposed changes to pharmacy operating hours.

The current system mandates fixed opening hours, with pharmacies obligated to provide continuous service, typically from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM on weekdays. The new regulation seeks to replace this with a more adaptable model, allowing pharmacies to set their own hours within broader limits. This move is expected to streamline operations and potentially lower expenses.

Pharmacies could set their opening hours much more freely than before.

— Explanation of the regulationExplaining the impact of the proposed changes.

However, the German Foundation for Patient Protection has voiced concerns about the potential consequences of these changes, particularly for rural areas. Eugen Brysch, a spokesperson for the foundation, suggested that while increased flexibility might be manageable in densely populated urban areas, it could lead to a decline in service availability in the countryside. He urged that the reform should not undermine efforts to ensure patient access, especially in underserved regions.

If 1,000 pharmacies were to reduce their opening hours by twelve hours weekly, around 40 million euros in annual personnel costs could be saved.

— Analysis of potential cost savingsQuantifying the financial benefits of the proposed flexibility.

The Bundesrat's Health Committee has also called for a more precise definition of "usual business hours," noting that the current wording in the regulation is ambiguous and lacks clear criteria for determination, especially in areas with limited commercial activity. The committee suggests a more standardized approach to pharmacy opening hours.

In densely populated areas, more flexibility in opening hours would be justifiable.

— Eugen BryschExpressing concerns about the impact on rural areas.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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