The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7191 p419-425
30 March 2002

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News summary

Extra £30m allocated for primary care modernisation in Scotland

An additional £30m is to be spent by the Scottish Executive on modernising primary care services, including community pharmacies, over the next three years. This is on top of £100m already allocated.

The new money will allow the implementation of some of the recommendations of the Primary Care Modernisation Group (PCMG), which published its first report, entitled "Making the connections: developing best practice into common practice", on 22 March.

The report calls for the overall access to primary care services in each locality to be audited. Plans should be developed with the aim of moving towards the target of being able to access a relevant member of the primary care team within 48 hours.

An audit of all primary care premises, including community pharmacies, should also be carried out, the report recommends. The Scottish Executive Health Department is urged to review its funding arrangements for the provision of pharmacy premises. Partnership opportunities for funding where upgrading or new premises are required should be investigated.

The report notes that some primary care modernisation money has already been allocated towards providing consultation areas within pharmacies and to supporting specific developments in community pharmacy (PJ, 9 February, p161).

The PCMG comprises representatives of professional bodies, clinicians and managers working in primary care, secondary care and social work, together with consumer and local health council groups.

Commenting on the new funding, Scottish Deputy Health Minister Hugh Henry said: "Nine times out of 10, contact with the National Health Service is made through primary care. That means that improvements we can make here have a great impact on the quality of service the public receives."