The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7223 p670
9 November 2002

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National Pharmaceutical Association (www.npa.co.uk)

Chief pharmacist says modernisation will shatter rigid NHS demarcation lines

The Government is determined to shatter old, rigid demarcation lines that hold back staff and slow down patient care.

So said Dr Jim Smith, chief pharmaceutical officer for England, at the National Pharmaceutical Association's October management board meeting. He added that NHS staff at all levels are seen as key to delivering reform, but that in order to achieve this, staff need to reach their full potential by gaining skills through further training and development.

Speaking to the NPA board about the Department of Health's recent skill mix discussion paper (PJ, 5 October, p469), Dr Smith emphasised that it is a discussion paper and not a consultation paper. This means that the Department has no predetermined model for making the most of the pharmacy workforce and that any formal consultation paper would only be produced once the views of pharmacy organisations have been considered, he said.

Board members expressed concern that it might be possible to redefine supervision so that a pharmacy business could be run without the need for a pharmacist to be on the premises at all times. What would happen, they wanted to know, to customers who wanted to speak to the pharmacist or to patients who had been referred by NHS Direct for advice?

Furthermore, would the United Kingdom be moving away from most other European Union countries where pharmacists were required to be on pharmacy premises at all times? Dr Smith said that if pharmacists are allowed to leave their premises it is likely that a qualification higher than a level 3 National Vocational Qualification would be needed by any member of staff who is left in charge. Discussions will take place with colleges of further education and schools of pharmacy.

Board members also heard Bill Scott, chief pharmaceutical officer for Scotland, say that pharmacists engaging with the public should be able to prescribe for common ailments on the NHS as independent prescribers. Pharmacist prescribing for common ailments is beginning to be rolled-out because Ministers in Scotland are committed to seeing better use made of the profession. Pilots have already been conducted in this area and have worked well for patients, general practitioners and pharmacists.

Mr Scott said that there is no "quick fix" for the future of pharmacy in Scotland. But there is a vision in which pharmacists will be fully used and manpower issues addressed. Pharmacists will be involved at the highest levels of public health and will be remunerated accordingly, he said. But solutions still need to be found to achieve this vision and if this means rules have to be substantially changed, "then so be it".