The Scottish Executive has made a commitment to the development of a pharmacy strategy for Scotland in the plan for the National Health Service in Scotland published on December 14. The strategy is likely to include a broader role for Scotland’s community pharmacists.
Announcing details of the plan to the Scottish Parliament, Ms Susan Deacon (Minister for Health and Community Care) said that access to services would be improved through a bigger role for Scotland’s 1,100 community pharmacies.
Section four of the Scottish health plan, entitled "Improving the patient’s journey", says that the development of information and communications technology is to be speeded up. Developments to be introduced include integrated patient records, electronic transmission of prescriptions and the connection of all primary care staff to NHSnet.
The plan says that model schemes for pharmaceutical care, which are already in place in Scotland for palliative care, older people and people with mental health problems (PJ, November 13, 1999, p770), will be extended to include chronic conditions. Arrangements for all pharmacists to prescribe a broader range of medicines, to conduct medication reviews and to monitor certain treatments, will be supported and the provision of repeat medication will be improved through the electronic transmission of prescriptions and better information exchange.
A commitment is also made to working with the profession to address manpower issues.