The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7245 p545-546
19 April 2003

This page
Reprint
Photocopy

PDF* 90K

  New Charter
  Community pharmacy
  Pharmacist prescribing
  Qualified persons
  Drug misuse services
  Homoeopathy
  Dispensary design
  NPSA project
  Tuberculosis
  The Society
  CPD
  Titles

Letters to the Editor

Pharmacist prescribing

Supervised practice

From Dr C. Fitzpatrick

Yolinda Haarhoff and John Antwhistle (PJ, 29 March, p438) make some valid points about the competencies required of a prescriber. Prescribing and therapeutics have competed with other topics for space in undergraduate medical courses for some years, but few would disagree that practical prescribing should be an integral part of the curriculum. I have taught a short course on this at Queen's University, Belfast, for some years.

It is important to recognise that, for doctors, the end of undergraduate training, or even the end of the preregistration year, is only part of the way through the journey to independent practice. A further three years of supervised practice is required for general practitioners and considerably more for many hospital specialists.

Although the new courses for both nurse and pharmacist prescribers are admirable in their structure and content, the level of supervised practice falls far short of that required of doctors. I believe that increasing this element of training would provide an opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues (initially doctors, and eventually nurses and pharmacists) who, even if some consider them to be products of less structured and defined training in prescribing, will have much to offer the newly qualified prescriber.

Colin Fitzpatrick
Medical Adviser, Eastern Health & Social Services Board,
Belfast

Time saved at the surgery and communication opened up

From Ms. R. J. McLaughlin, MRPharmS, and others

In response to Jim Downing (PJ, 1 March, p302), we would point out that in Cornwall we are already running a pilot project that allows pharmacists to issue fucidic acid cream to patients with impetigo. At present, the scheme involves one general medical practice and two community pharmacies where the pharmacists are able to supply prescription-only medicines for minor ailments under patient group directions.

After providing the pharmacists with a GP-led training session on the minor ailments, we started the project in November 2002. The pharmacists are able to treat four common minor conditions — bacterial conjunctivitis, uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women, impetigo and nappy rash — following the protocols set out in the PGDs.

So far, the pharmacists have treated approximately 25 people under the scheme and referred six to the GP using a fast-track referral system. We have as yet to evaluate the results but feedback from the surgery staff and the pharmacies is encouraging. The pharmacists receive a consultation fee for each patient supplied with a POM under the scheme.

The project has helped to open up communication between the surgery and the pharmacies. Patients are provided with a one-stop service, improving their access to the enhanced skills and knowledge of the community pharmacist as recommended in "Pharmacy in the future — implementing the NHS plan".

We would be pleased to discuss the details of our project with anyone interested in starting a similar scheme in their area.

Rosalind McLaughlin
Prescribing Support Pharmacist
Central Cornwall Primary Care Trust
(e-mail rosalind.mclaughlin@centralpct.cornwall.nhs.uk)

Jim Kiwa
Kate Dovey
Community Pharmacists
St Austell,
Cornwall

Send your letter to The Editor

Previous Topic (Community pharmacy)
Next Topic (Qualified persons)