Few benefits from independent prescribing by pharmacists, says BMA
There is no evidence to support the idea that pharmacists prescribing independently will improve patient care, the British Medical Association has said in its response to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s consultation on independent prescribing by pharmacists.
The move is instead, the BMA argues, a reaction to NHS staff shortages.
It says in its response: “While we appreciate that there are difficult
workforce issues within the NHS that have led to this consultation, we
do not see any real evidence base for arguments that it will improve
patient care. Indeed some of the options seem to have moved beyond a
realistic appraisal of the level of ability and skill that pharmacists
have.”
Doctors did, however, differ in their response to the consultation. Those
in secondary care prefer no change to the present arrangements, while
GPs prefer limited opening up of pharmacist prescribing, in a similar
way to extended nurse prescribing. GPs were also aware of the impact
that minor ailments schemes had had on their workload. “It is not
appropriate that GP time should be spent writing prescriptions for over-the-counter
medicines because a patient is exempt from prescription charges. Pharmacists
could be equipped to do this,” the BMA says.
However, all groups of doctors had concerns about the plan, including:
pharmacists having no diagnostic or associated medical training, problems
that lack of access to medical records might cause and the risk of inappropriate
commercial influences.
The BMA, therefore, concludes that it would only be able to support restricted
pharmacist prescribing in primary care for common minor illnesses, although
it would support a review of supplementary prescribing in order to make
it less bureaucratic. |
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