The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7207 p115
20 July 2002

Parliamentary briefing highlights pharmacists' role in the modern NHS

A Parliamentary briefing, "Pharmacists and the modern NHS", highlighting the role of pharmacists in today's health care, has been published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society this week.

The briefing has been sent to all Members of Parliament and selected members of the House of Lords to explain how pharmacists are making a contribution to the modernisation of the National Health Service. It points out key areas of work for the profession, including the modernisation of regulation, planning for the future workforce and supporting a wider role for pharmacists working in secondary care.

Explaining the role pharmacists play in promoting understanding of the use of medicines, the briefing says that pharmacists in primary care, with their specialist knowledge of medicines and their use, are supporting moves to involve patients more closely in their own health care and give people improved access to medicines. On the recent Government proposal for supplementary prescribing by pharmacists, the briefing explains how pharmacists are preparing to take on the management of repeat medication for the treatment of long-term, stable medical conditions.

The briefing goes on to describe the way in which pharmacists have become an integral part of the national health advice services NHS Direct, NHS Direct (Wales) and the new NHS24 in Scotland.

The briefing also points out that in offering advice and support for a healthy lifestyle pharmacists make a proven contribution to public health. It says that initiatives announced in the plans to modernise the NHS will enable pharmacists to increase their potential contribution to improving the health of the population.

Copies of the briefing can be obtained from Carole Mitchell at the Society's headquarters (tel 020 7572 2338; e-mail cmitchell@rpsgb.org.uk) or downloaded as a PDF file from the news section of the Society's website.

The briefing is the second in a planned series designed to keep Parliamentarians informed about the activities of the Society and its committees. The first briefing, produced last November, was sent to Parliamentarians ahead of the second reading of the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill to draw attention to some initial concerns about the proposed new regulatory structures for the health care professions.