The long-awaited second report from the team led by Dr June Crown on the prescribing, supply and administration of medicines sets out how specialist pharmacists could become dependent prescribers, able to alter the continuing therapy of patients with diagnosed conditions. This is good news for pharmacists and is to be welcomed. However, pharmacists need not rush to order boxes of "prescribing pens" just yet.
The report (detailed on pp346-7) sets out a two-stage process for approving new prescribers - first, identification of suitable groups of health professionals, then selection of individuals who qualify - and says that primary legislation will be needed to define the new groups of independent and dependent prescribers. All this will take time, probably several years.
With Crown finally out in the open the profession is now left waiting for the community pharmacy strategy document, which the Secretary of State for Health (Mr Frank Dobson) passed over another opportunity to unveil, when speaking at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee dinner this week (p376). Only when this is published will we have some idea when pharmacist prescribing in the community could become a reality.