AN NHS manager tried to charge medical sales reps for access to doctors.

The administrator, from Central Manchester Primary Care Trust, has been forced to withdraw a letter which caused a "cash for meetings" rift between health bosses and international drugs companies.

The letter asked drug companies to pay into a "training fund" in return for structured access to high-level doctors.

"Cash-for-meetings" contravenes the Medicines (Advertising) Regulations 1994 which make such activity an offence punishable by a é5,000 fine or up to two years in prison.

Accepting cash is also prohibited by the medical governing body, the General Medical Council, and doctors' union, the British Medical Association.

NHS bosses said the letter had been misunderstood and no money had been received.

Code

But a spokesman for the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries, which represents major drug companies, said: "We became aware of the letter after it went out and expressed concern to the primary care trust that it potentially contravenes our code of practice."

Dr Don MacKechnie, a BMA spokesman and an accident and emergency doctor in Rochdale, said: "This could be seen to be accepting a bribe if there is not equal access for those who do not pay into this fund.

"No health professional should be seen to be accepting payment to prescribe any drug. We are getting back to the bad old days when access depended on how pushy the drug reps were."

Dr Mary Gibbs, a GP at Hulme's City Road practice, who would have been directly affected by the ban, accused bosses of hypocrisy. She said: "If the letter says what it seems to than it is rather worrying and hypocritical of the primary care trust. I doubt they could regulate GPs anyway - if they told me who I could meet I would not be very happy."

Representatives from companies such as Cheshire's AstraZeneca commonly contact both GPs and hospital doctors to persuade them to prescribe medicines made by their firms. But paying for influence is against the law and the industry's code of practice prevents companies offering any money or gifts worth more than é6 to doctors.

A spokesman for AstraZeneca said they never had any intention of signing up to the new fund. He said: "We are working with the new code of practice. If this letter is contrary to that spirit we will not go along with it."

The letter, signed by Karen O'Brien, associate director of chronic disease and medicine management at Central Manchester Primary Care Trust, was sent out to all drug companies on December 22 last year. It starts by staying sales reps are barred from entering any GP practice in Central Manchester.

Sponsored

Ms O'Brien wrote: "Drug representatives will not be allowed to provide sponsored lunches, conferences, and samples or enter PCT properties without permission."

But the letter goes on to offer structured meetings in return for cash gifts to the training fund. "From April 1, 2006 we will request that the Drug Industry Companies contribute to the fund.

"As a contributor you will have to opportunity to attend organised training/education events," Ms O'Brien added.

Neither the pharmaceutical companies nor the PCT would say exactly how much they were expected to pay, but the money was designed to pay for courses.

Ms O'Brien was not available for comment but a spokesman at Central Manchester PCT said that the letter had been misunderstood.

He said: "The intention was to make access more equitable. Both contributors and non-contributors would be invited to training events."

Nowhere in the letter is this point made clear.

He continued: "The reference to the training fund has been taken out. The reason the letter was sent out in the first place was to regulate who was wandering around getting access to staff. It was done with the best intentions.

"It was not our intention to mislead and we apologise for any confusion that may have been caused. No money has been received as a result."