The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7321 p574
16 October 2004

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Carry out risk assessments in primary care

The 2004 British Pharmaceutical Conference and Exhibition “Medicines: from cell to society” took place at Manchester International Convention Centre from 27–29 September

BPC 2004 summary

Pharmacists working in primary care are becoming more closely aligned with the prescribing process, as opposed to the dispensing process, and this is exposing them to risks that may previously have been associated only with medical practitioners. So said Duncan Jenkins, a specialist in pharmaceutical public health and a member of the Pharmacists Defence Association advisory board. In addition these pharmacists have full access to patients’ medical records.

“As we develop new roles, with this greater responsibility there comes a greater accountability and also a greater potential for negligence,” said Mr Jenkins.

He said that responsibility is often clear to professionals but accountability is less clear. Doctors often think they are accountable for everything that happens in their practice but, in reality, if the pharmacist is providing a service, the liability is probably shared. “Certainly the medical defence associations will try to spread the blame,” he warned.

To minimise the likelihood of negligence claims, he recommended that primary care pharmacists should:

· Carry out a risk assessment of new ways of working (identify the risk, how severe the potential outcome could be, how likely it is to happen and what can be done to reduce it)

· Develop written protocols with GPs

· Monitor and report incidents

· Learn from mistakes

· Make sure they have indemnity insurance