Closer working between pharmacists and family doctors in Scotland could save up to £26m a year in drug costs, according to the Accounts Commission for Scotland.
A report published on September 23 says that this represents around 5 per cent of the total expenditure of Scottish general medical practitioners that could be released for other purposes.
The commission recommends that pharmacists and GPs in many areas could work more closely together. For example, pharmacists could assist GPs by carrying out repeat prescription reviews for patients who receive a number of medicines for different conditions. This would help ensure that unnecessary treatment is avoided and that the risk of side-effects from combinations of medicines is minimised.
Other prescribing improvements the commission recommends include: prescribing fewer unnecessary medicines, including those classed as "less suitable for prescribing" in the British National Formulary; making more use of medicines in standard dosage forms rather than in more expensive preparations; and more generic prescribing.
The report also says that GPs should be encouraged to build up their experience and knowledge of a small number of medicines for particular conditions, and therefore increase the quality and safety of their prescribing.
Supporting prescribing in general practice, Accounts Commission for Scotland, 18 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2QU (tel 0131 477 1234; www.accounts-commission.gov.uk), ISBN 0-906206-72-3, no charge.