Healthcare Commission calls for pharmacist input into prescribing
More involvement by pharmacists in prescribing and regular medication reviews have been called for by the Healthcare Commission this week.
The call, made in the commission’s 2005 report (PDF 1.7 MB) on
the state of the nation’s health care in England and Wales, is
included in an example of good practice in relation to adverse drug reactions,
from
which the rest of the NHS could learn.
The report also speaks favourably of community pharmacy as an example
of a provider that has been used to create new ways in which patients
can access services. Repeat dispensing, medication reviews and the provision
of advice on healthy eating, stopping smoking and regular exercise are
specifically mentioned, as is the creation of new roles to support people
in the community who have mental health needs.
“Generally, these new services have been well received by the public,” the
report says. “Most are used regularly, although some appear to
be dealing with needs that were not previously being met, rather than
taking pressure off existing services.”
“There are many achievements to celebrate in the provision of health
care,” said
Sir Ian Kennedy, chairman of the commission. “Services subject
to targets and the requirements of national service frameworks have produced
significantly better outcomes, particularly for people with cancer and
heart disease.”
But he warns: “Being an NHS patient is too often a frustrating
experience. Services can seem fragmented and seem to be designed more
to suit the needs of those providing them than those using them.”
Overall, the report concludes that there is a long way to go before the
Government’s aim of a patient-led service is achieved. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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