The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7217 p427
28 September 2002

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London University School of Pharmacy (www.ulsop.ac.uk) (requires FLASH)

Most pharmacists see a clinical future

An overwhelming majority of community pharmacists believe that their future lies in clinical practice and direct patient care.

A survey conducted among 400 community pharmacists in England aged under 50 years by Professor David Taylor, professor of pharmaceutical and public health policy at London University's School of Pharmacy, found that 95 per cent of pharmacists agreed that pharmacy had a clinical future. There was also strong support for Government policies to involve community pharmacists more closely in medicines management and other forms of primary care improvement.

Another finding of the survey is that most pharmacists are dissatisfied with the profession's leadership. Only 0.5 per cent agreed strongly that pharmacy had enjoyed strong and effective professional leadership over the past 10 years. In contrast, 30 per cent believed that nurses had had such leadership. Those surveyed were evenly divided on questions about the role of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the extent to which bodies like it should focus on defending public interests and regulating pharmacy, as opposed to protecting members' interests.

"Realising the promise: community pharmacy in the new NHS" is to be published in November.