Pharmacists can influence future of primary care
Pharmacies are a point of access for NHS services |
Primary care will be the focus of the Government’s reform of the NHS over the next five years, Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Health, announced at last week’s
first full meeting of the National Leadership Network (a coalition of
stakeholders that replaces the NHS Modernisation Board).
Ms Hewitt told the network: “It is now time to focus more closely
on the family health services provided by GPs, dentists, nurses, pharmacists,
paramedics and others in primary and non-scheduled care. Most people
value greatly the continuity of care provided by their GP service. But
we are also seeing many new ways of getting health care.”
She said that the Government would be “initiating a programme of
public engagement in which we will invite people to help design the 21st
century ‘health service outside hospitals’”. A White
Paper on family health services is due to be published later this year.
Referring to the consultation, Beth Taylor, principal pharmacist, Community
Health London/South East Specialist Pharmacy Services and a member of
the leadership network, told The Journal: “It is an important opportunity
for innovative pharmacists to highlight how services are changing.”
She added that during the choice consultation, patients and the public
clearly supported greater use of pharmacies as a point of access for
services. “We are keen that this message is heard during the consultation,” she
said. “It is a tremendously good time for the pharmacy profession
to illustrate how it can develop services that work alongside other services
in primary care, in order to widen choice for patients.”
Alastair Buxton, head of NHS services at the Pharmaceutical Services
Negotiating Committee, commented: “While details of the proposed
White Paper are sketchy, early indications suggest that the main thrust
will be to introduce the Government’s long-standing choice agenda
more fully into primary care. This personalised care agenda could present
many opportunities for community pharmacy, particularly using the new
contract’s enhanced services as the platform from which to offer
new services to patients, particularly in the long-term conditions arena.” |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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