The National Primary Care Research and Development Centre and the National Prescribing Centre have produced a guide to quality assessment and clinical governance for pharmacists in primary care.
The new handbook, "Improving quality in primary care: supporting pharmacists working in primary care groups and trusts", focuses on medicines management, but also aims to support pharmacists in other areas, including continuing professional development, risk management and audit. It includes guidance on useful sources of information, including internet sites.
While the handbook is aimed principally at pharmacists working in health authorities and primary care groups (PCGs), it will also be useful to pharmacists working in general medical practices, the NPCRDC and NPC say.
The handbook is to be sent to all pharmacists working in PCGs and health authorities, to PCG clinical governance and prescribing leads, to PCG chief executives and to key individuals in the National Health Service and the Department of Health.
Copies of the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre and National Prescribing Centre guide to quality assessment and clinical governance are available from the NPCRDC order line (tel 0161 275 7126, e-mail communit@fs1.cpcr.man.ac.uk). This information was omitted from our report on the guide.