The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7169 p506-509
13 October 2001

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Pixies or pixels (2 letters)

Apathetic approach

From Mr S. Inns, MRPharmS

I write with grave concern for the pharmacists who are represented in Scotland by Bill Scott.

It is this type of opinion which has held back our profession over many decades, and if we are to pursue his methods then community pharmacy will not exist in 20 years time.

The time has gone where pharmacists can be safe behind a dispensing bench — remote, detached, ill-informed, with little or no time for clinical input.

For too long our profession has been weakened by representatives who have prehistoric ideas and little or no vision for the future.

Primary care pharmacists on a daily basis are pushing the boundaries of our profession. We impact on individual patients, practice patient groups and PCT populations.

Mr Scott’s comment about pharmacist prescribing “We support pharmacist prescribing, but nature will take its course” sums up his apathetic approach. Primary care pharmacy is in its infancy and we are shaping our future rather than letting representatives like Mr Scott do the talking.

Mr Scott is obviously worried about manpower shortages. Rather than looking to primary care pharmacists as the problem why not view them as the future? We are the ideal bridge that community pharmacy needs, to develop its fragile future.

I am pleased that the chief pharmacists for England and for Wales do not share these ludicrous views.

Maybe Mr Scott represents the views of most of Scottish pharmacists? But if that is not the case then a change of personnel must be in order!

Stephen Inns
Practice Pharmacist,
Southampton City PCT

Degrading to the whole profession

From Mrs J. P. Alcock, MRPharmS

Referring to any colleague as a pixie is unprofessional. When this term is used by the chief pharmacist for Scotland it degrades the whole profession.

Judith Alcock
St Andrews, Fife

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