The Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the National Pharmaceutical Association have welcomed the expansion of NHS Direct services.
In a joint statement on December 7, they said: "We welcome NHS Direct and its objectives to increase accessibility to health care information and to ensure optimum use of National Health Service services. The pharmacy profession is working with the Department of Health to incorporate within NHS Direct the advisory service already provided from community pharmacies."
Mr John D'Arcy (director, NPA) told The Journal: "We were astounded that pharmacy was not originally recognised in the NHS Direct infrastructure."
He said that the profession was seeking to have community pharmacy accepted as the fourth disposition for callers to the helpline. There were also many people who did not have a telephone who needed to be directed to face-to-face contact with a pharmacist.