NHS improvement plan outlines patient choice
By 2008 patients in England will have the right to choose from any health care provider that meets the Healthcare Commission's standards, promises new plans from the Department of Health.
The NHS Improvement Plan, subtitled “Putting people at the heart
of public health,” was launched by Health Secretary John Reid last
week, and sets out the priorities for the NHS for the next four years.
Increased patient choice, reduced waiting times and higher-quality care
for people with long-term conditions are all key themes in the plan.
Regarding the supply of medicines, the DoH pledges to:
· Continue to ease the bureaucracy
surrounding repeat prescriptions
· Free up restrictions on the location of new pharmacies
· Expand the range of medicines available without a prescription
· Promote minor ailments schemes
· Increase the range of health care professionals who can prescribe
The plan states that by 2008 patients will be able to choose whether
to make a GP or practice nurse appointment, contact NHS Direct or visit
an NHS walk-in centre or “pharmacy service centre.” A spokesman
from the Department of Health told The Journal that the term “pharmacy
service
centre” describes the kind of services they envisage community
pharmacies of the future will provide under the new contractual framework.
He said that this could mean pharmacists helping patients with chronic
diseases and conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure through
regular monitoring, contributing to reducing health inequalities or by
offering more support for patients who wish to care for themselves.
The plan lists the five areas that patients have identified as being
of greatest importance: access and waiting, well co-ordinated care, better
information and more choice, even better relationships between patients
and staff, and clean, friendly and comfortable environments.
John D’Arcy, chief executive of the National Pharmaceutical Association,
told The Journal: “Community pharmacy fairs well against these
criteria, in a large part because of its positioning in a competitive
environment on the high street, and this suggests it is well positioned
to take on a more integrated role within primary care. The new pharmacy
contract will facilitate this.”
He added that he would have liked to see more detail of the role of community
pharmacists in chronic disease management, given the experience in Kaiser
Permanente models (PJ, 15 May, p601), but pointed out that scenarios
exemplified in the plan as “what the future will look like for
the patient” all have the role of community pharmacists as a significant
feature. The plan also states that by December 2005 the DoH aims for
50 per cent of prescriptions to be electronic, with full implementation
by 2007.
The plan can be accessed as a PDF file
(470K)
What the plan says about control of entry
The NHS Improvement Plan states that, from the end of this year,
the DoH will make it easier for new pharmacies to locate in areas
such as one stop primary care centres and will facilitate the
establishment of pharmacies intending to open more than 100 hours
a week and
those planning to operate wholly via mail order or the internet.
However, there is no mention of the 15,000 square metre exemption
(PJ, 6 March, p269).
Sue Sharpe, chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee, told The Journal: “We are awaiting clarification
of the detailed proposals. The 15,000 square metre proposal is
the trojan horse. It does not meet the stated objectives since
it would
allow increased pharmacy provision in town centre locations where
there is already substantial competition in pharmacy service provision.”
John D’Arcy, NPA, commented: “The absence of retail
shopping centres is interesting. Does this suggest that this will
be dropped
from the list of exemptions? If it does then we see this as good
news.” |
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