The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7295 p463
17 April 2004

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Related websites
A responsive and high-quality local NHS: the primary care progress report 2004 (PDF 150K)
DoH: NHS repeat dispensing schemes in England (more)
PSNC heart disease project (www.medicinesmanagement.org.uk)

Pharmacy input into primary care grows

Pharmacists' and community pharmacy's growing role in the NHS have been highlighted in a Department of Health report on primary care.

The report, by David Colin-Thomé, national clinical director for primary care in England, includes the development of community pharmacy as a national aim to increase the range of places where patients can get first-contact NHS services. Pharmacist prescribing is given as an example of new working arrangements that are being put in place to achieve this. Other examples of better working practice for the NHS include repeat dispensing and medicines management.

Professor Colin-Thomé records that the Department is shortly to issue a consultation document on access by pharmacists to patient records and confidentiality as part of an exploration of community pharmacy’s IT requirements to support pharmacy’s expanding role.