From Dr B. Curwain, MRPharmS
SIR,—I note from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s committee proceedings that it is "seeking to clarify the role of pharmaceutical advisers"(PJ, November 25, p782). It seems that the Society is wondering whether advisers might be willing to help in the implementation the Government’s plan for pharmacy. Perhaps I can provide some reassurance.
The National Health Service is an organisation which takes great account of Government policies and directives. It is used to dealing with the papers that come down from the Government via the NHS Executive and regional offices to those of us at the sharp end. Our managers are always asking us how we are getting on with implementing these various matters. In addition, I detect a real commitment to the current political agenda from many of my colleagues. We are talking a lot about how to develop the involvement of community pharmacy with the local NHS, to the benefit of all concerned. In Southampton, the Society’s local branch, the pharmacy development group and the local pharmaceutical committee are collaborating closely with primary care group and health authority pharmacists. We know that Government policies, once they have become official, will be supported by our organisations and that we will be judged on how we implement them.
In a way, the support of the Society for advisers, also mentioned in the proceedings, may not be that crucial to our present endeavours. The groundwork it did through the Pharmacy in a New Age process was invaluable. What is needed now is for the Society to be closely in touch with us so that it can keep up to date about events in the NHS and intervene constructively, from a well-informed position, if required.
For the record, the role of pharmacy in the NHS is very poorly described by the expression "medicines management". As well as seeking to put in place mechanisms whereby patients get the maximum benefit from taking medicines correctly, we also have to be scientists and therapeutics experts. We have to be teachers, understanding the evidence bases for therapies and explaining their rationale to doctors, nurses and other professionals. We then have to facilitate changes to medical practice and make them stick. Finally we have to know how to measure the results of what we do and show that we are delivering the required agenda.
No wonder I feel tired in the evenings!
Brian Curwain Christchurch, Dorset