PCTs take responsibility for prison pharmacy
Prison pharmacy: services improving |
Responsibility for commissioning health services in prisons in England is being transferred to primary care trusts a year ahead of schedule.
In 2002 the Home Office announced that all health services should be
commissioned by PCTs by 1 April 2006, and last April 34 prisons completed
their transfers.
Stephen Ladyman, health minister, announced last week that 86 more prisons
have now had their health care services, including pharmacy services,
commissioned by 63 local primary care trusts. This leaves four prisons
to transfer responsibility by next year.
Alastair Monk, a pharmacist at Durham prison, told The Journal: “This
transfer of responsibility could have opportunities for prison pharmacy,
depending on the level of engagement between prison health care and the
PCT.” He explained that since Durham prison pharmacy services became
commissioned by Durham and Chester-le-Street PCT, active involvement
by its PCT prison development manager has resulted in improvements in
the pharmacy workforce, formulary development and budgeting.
In Wales commissioning for public sector prisons is expected to transfer
to local health boards in April next year. |
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