Priority action points spelt out for pharmacy in Wales
Access to NHS intranet and electronic patient records is a high
priority point |
Plans for the implementation of the strategy for pharmacy in Wales “Remedies for success” have been produced by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Over 100 responses from pharmacists in Wales were generated by the consultation
document (PJ, 28 September 2002, p434), and these responses have been
incorporated into an action plan. The plan sets out priorities for practice,
education and continuing professional development, information management
and technology, research and development, workforce, UK bodies, and national
public health service.
One of the action points given high priority is for the future role,
organisation and nature of community pharmacy in Wales to be reviewed
by the assembly. The plan states that the assembly’s primary care
division is to commission a survey of pharmaceutical services, with advice
from the Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee, before a new contractual framework
is completed.
Chris Martin, community pharmacist and chairman of Pembrokeshire Local
Health Board, told The Journal that this must be done in concert with
the contract negotiations in England. He said: “This review must
also take into account the development of health, social care and well-being
strategies in each of the 22 local health boards in Wales, and account
for policy divergence between England and Wales. This needs to be done
urgently in conjunction with Community Pharmacy Wales and the other pharmaceutical
bodies to maximise the potential impact of the new contract.”
Other action points identified by the plan as being high priority are:
· Guidance to be issued by the assembly to facilitate the introduction
of original pack dispensing
· Extending supplementary prescribing rights to pharmacists
· Managed entry of new medicines to be addressed by the All-Wales Medicines
Strategy Group
· Investment in student technician training places
· Review of workforce planning processes in Wales by the assembly
· Giving pharmacists access to the NHS intranet and electronic patient
records
According to Mr Martin, this last point is the key recommendation.
He said; “Without this facility we will struggle to implement all
the other recommendations and therefore we need a firm commitment from
the Welsh Assembly to support action on this point.”
He added: “I would like to have seen more detail about timescales,
costings and impact on patient care. This would have provided a more
robust document in support of the strategy and given a clear message
to local health boards that as a profession we have an essential role
to play in the modernisation of the NHS in Wales”.
Andrea Robinson, chairman of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s
Welsh Executive said: “We welcome the addition of an action plan
for ‘Remedies for success’ and hope that this will give us
a platform to further progress pharmacy in Wales.”
Phil Parry, chairman of Community Pharmacy Wales, told The Journal: “Community
Pharmacy Wales is in discussion with Welsh Assembly Government officials
over ways of taking ‘Remedies for success’ forward, particularly
the review of community pharmacy. That review has to be seen against
the consultation report as a whole and within the developments of the
new general pharmaceutical services
contract. He added: “CPW will be represented on the Welsh Pharmaceutical
Committee — the body that is overseeing implementation.” |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal