Sir Nigel Crisp: pharmacy services central to effective health care |
Sir Nigel Crisp, chief executive of the NHS and Permanent Secretary
at the Department of Health, addressed the British Pharmaceutical Conference
for the first time. He was standing in for health ministers who were
attending the Labour Party conference that was taking place at the
same time.
His theme was the challenges facing the NHS in delivering the Government’s
modernisation agenda and the part that pharmacy will play in it. “Improving
health through better use of medicines is a shared goal of the Government,
pharmacy profession and industry.”
He added that the NHS is determined to ensure that the growing potential
of pharmacy, which for so long has been underused, is brought fully in
to play in improving patient care and public health. “We want you
to be in the mainstream of our plans.” He also remarked that pharmacy
is becoming more integrated into the health service with increasing numbers
of pharmacies displaying the NHS logo.
Sir Nigel spoke about some of the main Government targets for the NHS
and the part pharmacists have played in it. He highlighted how the NHS
has tackled huge problems like winter planning “that seemed so
intractable until recently”. He pointed out that pharmacists now
have a well-established role in this area “dealing with common
conditions and helping share NHS workload at a time of heightened demand”.
Sir Nigel then outlined the achievements of pharmacists to date: those
involved in the medicines management collaborative, the 240 pharmacists
already registered as supplementary prescribers, the provision of emergency
hormonal contraception, smoking cessation and substance misuse services
and the development of minor ailment services that are now established
in 60 primary care trusts.
He also emphasised that the Government wishes to see pharmacists much
more involved in chronic disease management and public health.
He ended his address by reminding delegates that unprecedented amounts
of money are being invested in the NHS (more than £90bn per year
by 2007/08) and that the challenge for the 21st century is to offer people
greater choice, better access to more effective care and support in the
life choices that prevent illness and improve health.
“Medicines — and the wider and expanding services that pharmacists
deliver — have never been more central to effective health care.”
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal