Two sets of guidance produced by Royal Pharmaceutical Society task forces - one on respiratory disease and one on mental health - were launched at the conference on September 11.
Speaking on the asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease guidance (see p390), Mr Hemant Patel (chairman of the Society's respiratory task force) said that its aim was to help to integrate pharmacists further into the health care team, especially when responding to symptoms and providing advice and information. The guidance was aimed mainly at primary care but it could also be applied elsewhere.
Dr Michael Rudolf (chairman, British Thoracic Society) said that pharmacists had a role in diagnosis, responding to symptoms, alterations to medication and referral to general practitioners. The guidance contained a referral form for pharmacists to use when sending patients to their GP, which had been endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners. He also highlighted the role of pharmacists in smoking cessation saying that this was the "single most cost-effective thing" that pharmacists could do in reducing the incidence of COPD.
Launching the guidance on mental health (see p391), Mr Hassan Argomandkhah (chairman of the Society's mental health task force) said: "Pharmacists across all sectors have the potential to get more involved in the care of patients with poor mental health." He added that the guidance provided information that would help pharmacists extend their existing services and "make the move forward".
Mr Stephen Bazire (pharmacy services director, Hellesdon hospital, Norwich) added that medicines in mental health were a big issue, as they were often "badly used". Pharmacists were often not up to date in this area and were not assertive in asking for changes to medication to be made. "Supply is not the end of the pharmacy service, it is the beginning," he said.