BPC 2001 summary

Scottish pharmacy plan will build on successes so far, says Health Minister

The forthcoming strategy for pharmaceutical care in Scotland will build on the success of a number of current pilot projects for pharmaceutical care, medicines management, repeat dispensing and electronic transmission of prescriptions, the Scottish Minister for Health and Community Care (Susan Deacon) told the British Pharmaceutical Conference on 25 September. The strategy is expected to be published in the next few weeks.

Mrs Deacon said that Scotland’s devolved Parliament offered an opportunity to develop plans that reflected the country’s historical, cultural and social needs. However, there was no desire to “put a kilt on things” for the sake of it and there would be co-operation with colleagues in Westminster and the other devolved assemblies.

The Scottish health plan, “Our national health: a plan for action, a plan for change” published in December 2000, is a plan to improve health, not just improve the treatment of ill-health. The Scottish Executive is seeking to address poverty, poor housing and lack of access to education — the root causes of ill-health.

Mrs Deacon paid tribute to the contribution the profession of pharmacy in Scotland had made to the health plan: “It has taken a full and active part. I am sure it will reap the rewards for itself and for patients.”

The pharmacy strategy will build on the existing good work that pharmacists are doing, especially in the community. “We recognise the need for community pharmacists to be seen as full partners in the National Health Service. We want to get across to the public that pharmacies are part of their NHS. We are considering how the NHS in Scotland identity can be given prominence in community pharmacies.”

The Health Minister announced that a further £500,000 will be spent over the next year on installing consultation areas within community pharmacies. This matches a similar sum spent this year.

“The public has a right to expect some privacy when discussing health questions with a pharmacist.”

She also announced that, in conjunction with the Committee on Safety of Medicine, a Scottish adverse drug reactions centre is to be set up.

Other areas that Mrs Deacon said will be advanced as part of the Scottish pharmaceutical care strategy are:

• Extending smoking cessation programmes to hospitals
• Electronic transfer of prescriptions
• Prescribing rights for pharmacists
• Increased use of patients’ own drugs in hospitals
• Pharmacists working in administration wards and clinics
• Links between community and hospital pharmacies
• Repeat dispensing in community pharmacy
• Further model pharmaceutical care schemes
• Investment in equipment for chemotherapy preparation
• Safe storage and medicine disposal publicity campaigns
• Greater links with other health professions for postgraduate education

The Minister said that a remuneration system tied largely to prescription volume was no longer appropriate. She was pleased that the profession would be entering into negotiations about a new contract. Both sides realised that change was necessary and desirable.

The Minister said that she had asked the chief medical officer for Scotland, Dr Mac Armstrong, and the chief pharmacist, Bill Scott, to work jointly on developing ways in which pharmacists and doctors could work together to improve the care of patients with chronic illnesses.

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