The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 264 No 7100 p879
June 10, 2000 Letters

Community pharmacy

Putting our point of view

Dr P. V. Mroso, MRPharmS

SIR,-A recent meeting of Birmingham local pharmaceutical committee was attended by prominent local pharmacists and Mr M. Waterland, the chief executive of Birmingham health authority. The discussion clearly projected what pharmacists could do in the developing National Health Service in regard to the involvement in primary care groups and more so in the primary care trusts.
Pharmacists are trying to be included in the PCGs. This is paramount because, if they fail, the establishment of PCTs may go ahead with no pharmacist input, to the severe detriment of the profession, as it is a fact that PCTs are fundholders. The question of why pharmacists were not involved was answered simply at the meeting: that they do not sell their profession to the proper decision makers.
I would like to suggest the following.

• Pharmacists must present their views to their local representatives using the various communication techniques available, including e-mail
• Pharmacists must communicate among themselves
• Local representatives must pass views to national bodies and also to local decision makers
• Bodies like LPCs and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee should use public relation experts to put their views to the target decision makers
• Research must be conducted to find out how consultations are processed prior to a White Paper so that, at the correct time, there can be pharmacy input

We know what to do and how to do it, but not how to be paid!

P. V. Mroso
Nechells, Birmingham