Promoting pharmacist prescribing to patients
It is a matter of weeks now, rather than months, before pharmacist supplementary prescribers will be qualified to use their skills. Although it is well known in pharmacy circles that they can only prescribe with the agreement of both independent prescribers and patients, it is surely time that the person in the street knew what lies ahead — to prevent any misunderstandings developing.
There will be benefits for patients: they will be treated in a timely
and efficient way by clinical staff who really understand medicines,
and they are likely to find pharmacists are more accessible than doctors
if problems develop. If the general public is not told about this development
and why it should lead to an improvement in the service they receive,
there may be some suspicions. “Are pharmacists really up to the
job?” and “Why can’t I see my doctor?” may be
common questions (although of course they can, as patient choice will
be the cornerstone of the service). There is a great deal of explaining
to do.
And why stop at supplementary prescribing? With new community pharmacy
contracts being developed across Britain, a whole range of new services
will need to be promoted if the health service and patients are to benefit
fully. This is not something we can see governments doing particularly
well. It does seem an opportunity, however, for all pharmacy organisations
to pull together and promote the new face of pharmacy to the general
public.
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Show us your money
Contractors in England and Wales have given
their approval to the framework for the new pharmacy contract being developed by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee (see p665). However, only two-thirds of contractors bothered to vote on this most important of topics. Why might this be?
One answer is that the result would not have made a great deal of difference
either way. The new contract is the only game in town and rejection would only
have led to a renegotiation that might not have been any better for pharmacists.
The main reason, of course, is that contractors are waiting to see the colour
of the Department of Health’s money before they pass judgment on whether
they are getting a good deal. Only once the prices are attached to the menu will
we begin to get a true picture of what the future holds and what contractors
think of it.
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