The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 266 No 7151 p784-787
June 9, 2001

  Code of Ethics
  RPM
  Medicines promotion
  Parallel imports
  Patient packs
  Disillusioned youth
  Veterinary medicines
  Travel medicine
  Nurse prescribing
  Working conditions
  Mutual recognition
  Disinfection techniques

Nurse prescribing

Focus on working together

From Professor D. K. Raynor, MRPharmS

David Rayner makes a number of negative comments about a particular example of nurse prescribing (PJ, May 12, p652). I favour a more constructive approach, where we apply the same criteria to fellow health professions extending their role, as we do to extending ours, ie, does it result in an improvement in patient care. There is undoubtedly a role for appropriately trained nurses in specialist GP-based clinics, even though there might have been some shortcomings in the case Mr Rayner mentions.

The tension around extending the nurse’s role has also shown itself in connection with a PhD studentship under way in our division. The student, who is researching the nurse’s role in medicines management in primary care, has a nursing background and this has led to negative comments from some pharmacist colleagues.

The primary health care team is a reality and the NHS plan and “Pharmacy in the Future” gives pharmacists the opportunity to play a full role in this team. All professions have examples of less than perfect practice and we should focus on working together and using constructive criticism.

D. K. Theo Raynor
Leeds

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