The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7196 p597-604
4 May 2002

This article
Reprint
Photocopy

News summary

Related websites
Scottish Executive (www.scotland.gov.uk)

Transformation for Scottish NHS

A central role for local primary care teams in transforming the National Health Service in Scotland was announced last week.

The new test for NHS services will be "if it can be done in primary care, it should be done in primary care", said Scottish Health Minister, Malcolm Chisholm, during a debate on modernising primary care in NHS Scotland on 25 April.

Under the modernisation plan, local primary care teams, consisting of general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and health visitors, are to have larger roles in managing chronic diseases. Use of local teams will also extend patient choice, Mr Chisholm said. "These professionals see patients most often and know their needs best. Already 90 per cent of the contacts that patients in Scotland have with the NHS come through local primary care teams."

Three areas that needed to be developed are the NHS 24 telephone advice line, the work of health improvement champions in local community, and the role of nurses and pharmacists in prescribing and managing chronic disease. Mr Chisholm also announced that from October, a timetable for the delivery of 48-hour maximum waits to see the right member of the primary care team would be in place in every health board. In addition, a drive to encourage collaboration within primary care will take place. This will include funding locum cover so that professionals in one part of the country can share their experience with those in other areas.

In order to support the modernisation programme, funding and decision-making will be devolved to local primary care teams.