The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7256 p7
5 July 2003

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Parliamentary report recommends dermatology training for pharmacists

Pharmacists should receive better training to allow them to help patients with skin disease, a report published this week by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Skin recommends.

The report follows an inquiry by the APPGS into the impact of skin diseases on people's lives. It says that standards of training for non-specialist health professionals are inadequate, despite the fact that many people seeking help with skin diseases will go to their pharmacist first.

The report also says that because skin diseases are generally seen as minor ailments, there has been an assumption within the National Health Service that treatments should be inexpensive. "Increasingly, this is resulting in new, more effective but more expensive treatments being denied to patients by trusts preoccupied with staying within their prescribing budgets," it says.

The report concludes that the impact of skin disease on people's lives is not appropriately considered in their treatment and care.

Dr Christine Clark, a pharmacist with an interest in dermatology and a member of the APPGS, echoed the view that skin diseases are often dismissed as minor ailments. "This compounds the distress," she said.

She added that pharmacists could take action in three areas. "First, resolve to improve their own knowledge of skin diseases and their treatment; second, help patients with skin diseases to understand their treatments and use them effectively; and third, help to educate the general public about skin diseases to reduce ostracism and stigmatisation of sufferers."

A series of recommendations is made in the report, including:

• Urgent attention should be given to the provision of proper dermatology training for all general practitioners, nurses and pharmacists

• Licensed treatments should be made available to patients who will benefit from that treatment

• More research is need to find effective treatments that do not place additional burdens on patients