Toolkit launched for primary care organisations to support and develop
community pharmacy
A toolkit to help primary care organisations support and develop community pharmacy has been launched this week.
The toolkit has been produced by the National
Pharmaceutical Association in conjunction with Keele University and Webstar Health. It aims to help
PCOs scope, write and implement a community pharmacy strategy in response
to the changing community pharmacy agenda.
Implementation of the new community pharmacy contract is one such change.
Others include changes to control of
entry regulations, the introduction of
supplementary prescribing, local pharmaceutical services and recommendations
in the Government’s “Vision for pharmacy in the new NHS” in
England.
The toolkit outlines the national policy context and NHS priorities relating
to pharmacy, explains the process of pharmaceutical needs assessment
and describes how a pharmacy strategy can be implemented. It also includes
practical tips from organisations that have already developed strategies.
One of the tasks facing PCOs is carrying out a pharmaceutical needs assessment,
something that the National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme
(NatPaCT) has produced a toolkit to help with. Alison Blenkinsopp, professor
of practice of pharmacy at Keele University, commented: “The two
toolkits can be used in conjunction, to perform a needs assessment and
then to plan a long-term strategy for community
pharmacy.” |
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