Pharmacists put at the centre of plans to increase patient choice in the NHS
Pharmacists will offer extended services |
Pharmacists will play a key role in the Department of Health's plans to expand patient choice within the National Health Service in England.
Increasing choice of where, when and how people can get medicines is
a central theme in a new White Paper “Building on the best: choice, responsiveness and equity in the NHS”. This will be achieved by
easing the bureaucracy around repeat prescriptions, reducing restrictions
on the locations of new pharmacies, expanding the range of over-the-counter
medicines, promoting pharmacist-led minor ailment schemes and increasing
the range of prescribers.
“The services people can get from their community pharmacist are
widening well beyond the traditional roles of dispensing prescriptions
and selling
medicines,” the document states. “We will be encouraging
developments in the role of pharmacy through the new contractual framework.”
Easier access to medicines emerged as a high priority during public consultation
that led to this week’s announcement, the White Paper says. Repeat
dispensing will be rolled out to every community pharmacy by December
2004. This will be expanded with the introduction of new information
technology so that, by December 2007, patients will be able to pick up
repeat medicines from any pharmacy in England.
The document highlights the success of pharmacist-led minor ailment schemes. “The
existing schemes have demonstrated that all parties — patients,
general practitioners and pharmacists — benefit,” it says.
Although 75 per cent of primary care trusts are interested in introducing
such schemes, they will not be in the new pharmacy contract and will
have to be agreed locally. “We would expect all primary care trusts
to consider carefully targeted schemes,” the document says. Model
service specifications will be developed as part of the new pharmacy
contract, but PCTs will have to decide if they wish to commission them.
Greater availability of medicines without a prescription is another strand
of the plans. “These developments promote self-care and give patients
greater control of their treatment. But it is time to raise the pace
of change and, wherever it is safe to do so, make it simpler for patients
to get treatments over the counter for conditions which until now have
been regarded as strictly the preserve of the prescriber,” the
White Paper states. It highlights the current consultation on simvastatin,
and notes that this is a step towards the Government’s commitment
to expand OTC medicines into chronic disease and preventive therapy areas.
The White Paper also touches on issues surrounding control of entry,
restating the Government aim of making it easier for new pharmacies to
open if located in large shopping developments or if they have long opening
hours. In terms of access to health care, it notes: “Community
pharmacists may play a particularly important role in inner-city areas
where access to services may be poor.” The document also outlines
plans to increase access in primary care, including developing a range
of primary care providers, as alternatives to appointments with GPs.
Chronic disease monitoring, such as for asthma or hypertension, will
happen in pharmacies rather than GP practices.
Pharmacy welcomes patient choice paper
The White Paper on patient choice has been
welcomed by pharmacy organisations.
Dr Gill Hawsksworth, President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society,
said: “This reflects what a million people every day already
know: that they can get convenient access to, and trustworthy advice
and care from their local pharmacist.”
She pointed out that many people need long-term medication and
that repeat prescriptions, monitoring, routine care and advice
can be provided by a pharmacist.
“It all adds up to a much more flexible, user-friendly service for
patients and better use of resources by the NHS,” she said.
Sue Sharpe, chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee, commented: “We are delighted to see the Government
bring forward proposals which recognise community pharmacists’ huge
potential to enhance the quality of NHS services.” She added: “Some
may argue that these developments are overdue, but our focus is
delivering service improvements as quickly as possible and today’s
announcement should facilitate that process.” |
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