Improved pharmaceutical care promised for Scottish cancer patients
All patients with cancer in Scotland should receive a pharmaceutical care plan in the future, a report examining cancer services in Scotland has concluded.
Schemes for pharmaceutical care planning have been successfully piloted
for cancer patients and will now be extended. The schemes will be implemented
with the help of lead cancer pharmacists who have been appointed for
each of three regional cancer networks in Scotland.
One of these pharmacists, Mary Maclean, regional cancer care pharmacist
for the west of Scotland, said: “The continued support for care
planning is particularly welcomed and a recognition of the pivotal role
of the clinical pharmacist in the care of the cancer patient.” She
added: “Although it is not directly stated, there is also a key
role for community pharmacists in prevention and early detection of cancer.” For
example, in the west of Scotland, community pharmacists are involved
in a project to detect signs of oral cancer in patients visiting the
pharmacy.
The report, “Cancer in Scotland: sustaining change”, sets
out the next phase of modernising cancer services. It provides an update
to an earlier cancer strategy published in 2001. “The original
strategy has resulted in a significant investment in pharmacy services
across Scotland,” Ms Maclean commented.
The new report promises that a review of the guidelines on safe prescription
and supply of chemotherapy will be issued for consultation this year,
and a scoping exercise will be carried out on the opportunities for electronic
support for prescribing and monitoring of chemotherapy. The report is
available at www.cancerinscotland.scot.nhs.uk. |
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