The Nova Scotia government is giving pharmacists the right to deal with more minor ailments but at the same time it’s cutting the amount they can charge to dispense medication.

At the moment, pharmacies can charge up to $12.10 per prescription — that is going down to $11.05 next month.

Andrew Buffett is chair of the board at the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia.

"Government would like to see us move to a model where we get paid less for each prescription that we fill and see pharmacists come out from around the counter and start to do more of the newer services that pharmacists are legally allowed to do such as prescribing for minor ailments like cold sores, or allergies, or things like medication reviews," he says.

Buffett says, as a pharmacy owner, he's not happy with the dispensing fee cut but he says the province presented the new structure as a take it or leave it proposition.

"Well you know government wins. They save some money, directly, which is great. I mean the taxpayers of this province will win. The public doesn't really win, as far a per-script basis, they won't notice any difference. You're saving 50 cents per prescription. They're only saving, at most, one third of that based on a co-pay, so you're not going to see any substantial win at the cash register," he says.

Buffett says the province will save money in this new five-year deal — but he says so, too, will big private insurance companies such as Blue Cross.

The province has set aside $500,000 for 2014-15 to specifically fund these newer services such as prescribing medication for minor ailments that pharmacists are expected to perform.

The government has earmarked another $1 million in funding for the services for 2015-16 and another $500,000 for 2016-17.

Tony Kiritsis, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Wellness, said payment for the so-called "demonstration services" performed by pharmacists will not be paid to individuals but to the pharmacy.

However, the payment details have not yet been determined, says Kiritsis, and will depend on the service being provided.