From Mr J. D. Khan, MRPharmS
New infrastructure
From Mr J. D. Khan, MRPharmS
SIR,—With Pharmacy in a New Age, the Government's recently published "Pharmacy in the future — implementing the NHS plan" and other publications such as "Competencies for pharmacists working in primary care" published by the National Prescribing Centre, now is an apt time to be looking at issues like undergraduate training, competence and accreditation as part of a jigsaw, rather than in isolation as has been the case in the past. Pharmacists need training and appraisal of their competence for their roles in the new millennium and for this, in my view, a new infrastructure is needed.
As illustrated clearly in the Young Pharmacists Group's document "A sense of purpose — putting the patient first", there should be "schools of health care and health science", where there is a common entry requirement for all health care professionals. A core curriculum should be established in disease and pathology that is common to all entrants for the first two to three years of the course. Thereafter, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society should stipulate modules that need to be completed (compulsory and optional) for a candidate to graduate in pharmacy. Similarly, other representative bodies should do the same for their professions. Common learning and working would thus be instilled at an undergraduate level.
The vocational training of pharmacists should be extended to one and a half years after their four years as an undergraduate so that the candidate can gain a broad experience (preferably across community, hospital and industrial pharmacy). Continuous assessment and a competence-based examination would need to be undertaken before registration as a pharmacist. This would result in "all-round" pharmacists for the future.
I would like to see the current role of the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education developed further in liaison with schools of pharmacy in order to provide training material for pharmacists to upgrade their skills and knowledge in preparation for new roles. The structure needs to be more formalised and relevant to practice than it is at present. Substantial investment is required.
To oversee delivery of the above, and as part of the profession's new infrastructure, there should be an independent accreditation body for degree courses and competence. It should have under its umbrella a panel of experts who are competent practitioners in particular specialties. They would guide and assess practitioners as well as acting as a peer review group.
A new infrastructure would include a Royal Pharmaceutical Society with a more streamlined role. Its main role should be setting and monitoring of standards and undertaking disciplinary action where warranted. It is better for the Society to carry out one role effectively than to balance various roles ineffectively. There should also be a new organisation which would have the sole purpose of representing pharmacists' interests. Its members would have no vested interests and would get value for money by being represented effectively at all levels.
The accreditation body, the Society and the new representative organisation must be independent of each other but they would need to work synergistically and cohesively.
Without the right infrastructure, I feel that some of the innovative roles for pharmacists will become missed opportunities. Now that the Government and patients have given their views on what they want from pharmacy, it is up to pharmacists to rise to the challenge, but the infrastructure needs to be reformed before our aspirations can be realised.
Jahn Dad Khan Working Parties Co-ordinator, Young Pharmacists Group