From Mr B. Shooter, MRPharmS
SIR,—I have just returned from a briefing held to introduce NHS Direct to community pharmacists in Barking, Havering and Essex. I had no complaints about the quality either of the meeting or about the organisation or management of NHS Direct.
I and my colleagues were fascinated with the concept, as NHS Direct formalises what community pharmacists are doing all day, that is, dealing with many patients in person and on the telephone, giving advice backed by knowledge and experience on all manner of health related topics. As with NHS Direct, our recommended outcomes vary from referral to a doctor to going home and having a hot drink.
If the evidence of a continual stream of patients and the non-stop ringing of our telephone is anything to go by our local community is well aware of this service that we offer.
Why are the decision makers unaware of the NHS Direct service community pharmacists are giving? Our customer profile is that of a high user of a pharmacy, broadly, a patient fitting into the exempt category of NHS patient.
Those who make decisions at a national level are almost certainly low users of pharmacies, because of their age, wealth and health.
We need seriously to consider why we have patently failed to show them the value of our pharmacies.
Barry Shooter
Romford, Essex