The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7236 p220
15 February 2003

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How local pharmaceutical committees are able to build on their successes

Think strategically and make sure LPC members engage with the right people: Harriet Adcock (on the staff of The Journal) looks at how one LPC is influencing the local health agenda

Earlier this week North East London Local Pharmaceutical Committee organised a meeting. Although there is nothing unusual about this, a closer look at the meeting's programme shows that this particular LPC really knows how to pack a punch.

Speakers at the meeting included Dr David Colin-Thomé, the Department of Health's national director of primary care, Bill Scott, chief pharmacist, Scotland, and Sue Osborne, joint chief executive of the National Patient Safety Agency. That such heavyweight speakers agreed to give up their Sunday to talk to pharmacists in north east London is an indication that the LPC is being taken seriously by the people setting the national health agenda.

Hemant Patel, secretary of NE London LPC, believes the speakers agreed to talk at the meeting because they know the LPC is making serious efforts to understand the bigger picture. "We have convinced our partners that we are a group of people who understand the changes taking place in the National Health Service and genuinely want to develop services where there is a need."

Mr Patel explains that NE London LPC was formed through the merger of three smaller LPCs. For each of the eight PCTs in the area, the LPC has set up a forum, open to all community pharmacists and pharmaceutical advisers in the area. "In that way we are in a position to respond to changes quickly and are geared to monitoring and influencing the long-term goals."

The LPC is made up of 23 people. Each has agreed to give up six weekends throughout the year to engage in learning and discussion. Mr Patel believes that meeting to discuss the key issues being addressed by PCTs enthuses pharmacists to understand the complexity and politics of health care.

A community of pharmacists

One initiative being organised by the LPC is an intranet service that will be available to all pharmacies in the area. "Getting pharmacists out of their pharmacies is difficult. We want access to information to be timely and our aim has to be to educate and motivate contractors."

The LPC is also developing and funding a pharmacy user group, to find out what they think of pharmacy services and to educate them about the potential for community pharmacy. "Members of the group act as advocates for pharmacy, and will be able to lobby on behalf of patients and pharmacy."

Mr Patel believes that PCTs have responded well to suggestions from NE London LPC because it does not go in demanding more money: "We say that we want to see a higher standard of service than exists today. We design the standards and then say lets work together to deliver a service to that standard."

As a result of this week's meeting, NE London LPC has been asked by Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT to help design a pharmacy strategy. "One key area for them is smoking cessation," says Mr Patel. "My job is to make sure pharmacists help them deliver the targets. This will take a lot of time but it is important that pharmacy shows it can target people appropriately and that it can deliver the services within given time scales. Once we have proved we can intervene in smoking cessation, we can go on to develop other services."

Mr Patel believes NE London LPC is different from most other LPCs. "We took a deliberate decision to move away from administrative duties and towards administrative plus strategic duties," he says.

He adds that, on average, every LPC member gives up at least half-an-hour each day to communicate with PCTs and to liaise with colleagues. In addition, each LPC member has a portfolio of responsibilities. "No one person can specialise in all areas and still be updated about the developments in eight PCTs," he says. Each member takes the lead on a particular subject — from information technology to minor relocation of pharmacies — and seeks volunteers to provide support. Handing over responsibility to individual members generates energy and enthusiasm, says Mr Patel, not only in terms of the thinking of the LPC, but the PCTs as well.

Gary Boorman, chairman of the LPC, says it is important that something is given back to LPC members, in terms of training and personal development.

He adds that key to the success of NE London LPC is the fact that they have identified key local stakeholders. "We know it is our duty and responsibility to engage them and we have done. They have all got their own agendas, other than pharmacy, but our role is recognised nevertheless."

Mr Patel warns that the job of an LPC secretary is a big one. "LPCs must realise there is a huge amount of work to be done. They need a critical mass to be able to look at all areas and to share expertise."

He advises smaller LPCs to form collaborations or consider merging with other LPCs. "LPCs need to develop enough capacity to handle all the issues. If we do not have input at the right level, PCTs will do without us," he warns.

And he recommends that LPCs do not try to funnel everything through the PCT's pharmaceutical adviser, however willing he or she is. "LPCs have to form linkages with people who are operationally and strategically responsible for delivering health care in the area," he says.

Sharon Morrow, pharmaceutical adviser for Barking and Dagenham/Havering PCTs believes NE London LPC has succeeded in engaging with local primary care organisations because it has a vision of community pharmacy that is focused on patient services. "The LPC takes the big picture view," she says. "They have been a strong advocate of community pharmacy and active in motivating community pharmacists in the area and encouraging them to take part in NHS services." She adds that the LPC has been ready to engage in local health and social care issues and recognises that pharmacy services need to develop as an integrated part of primary care. "There has always been strong support for public health and the LPC has often been able to influence by providing an innovative response to some local health needs," she adds.

Contribute to decision making

Mr Boorman says a big factor in the LPC's success is its secretary Hemant Patel. He says it is crucial for LPC secretaries to engage as many different types of people as possible. "LPCs should ensure that the secretary is full time, they should ensure there is a communications infrastructure and there must be flexibility."

Mr Patel agrees that the post of LPC secretary should be full time. But he is worried that at a time when decisions are being made locally, pharmacists are not engaging with PCTs at the right level. "With one half-time LPC secretary, I do not think LPCs will be able to contribute actively to any of this decision making."

Mike King, head of professional development and LPC services at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, says that as more and more health care provision is devolved to the local level, the role of LPCs is changing. "LPCs will be more and more involved in negotiating with PCTs." And if LPCs are succesful in getting projects off the ground, this practice can be shared with other LPCs and can be used to show what can be done nationally. "The possibilities for helping PCTs plan is quite substantial," he says.

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