Implementation plan announced for new contract in Scotland
Implementation of the new
community pharmacy contract in Scotland is to take a bottom-up approach, with a key role given to local pharmacy practitioner champions.
A Scottish Executive Health Department letter issued this week describes
how practitioner champions will be trained to become experts in the new
contract. They will then use this knowledge to train and support other
local pharmacists. The practitioner champions must be wholly or mainly
employed in community pharmacy and they will be remunerated for their
role from ring-fenced funding totalling £250,000. This sum is being
divided between NHS boards and is for the implementation of the public
health and minor ailment services only; details of the implementation
of the other two core services will follow.
The SEHD stresses that the implementation programme must benefit all
community pharmacists so the practitioner champion will support every
pharmacist in one geographical area including individual contractors,
those working for multiples and regular locums. The practitioner champions
themselves will be supported by implementation groups at NHS boards.
Nationally, an implementation management group, which will be part of
the SEHD, will co-ordinate implementation of the new contract.
Alison Strath, principal pharmaceutical officer at the Scottish Executive,
told The Journal: “This programme and the role of the practitioner
champion is about supporting all community pharmacists in understanding,
implementing and living the new community pharmacy contract in Scotland.
It is also an exciting opportunity for all community pharmacists to play
their part.”
Commenting on the role of the practitioner champion, Frank Owens, chairman
of the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council, said: “It is important
to the success of implementation that community pharmacy contractors
feel real ownership of the new contract process. The commitment and enthusiasm
of contractors, along with the energy required in successful delivery,
lies in securing that ownership.”
He added that the SPGC is extremely supportive of the initiative and
will be writing to all pharmacy contractor committee members later this
week about identifying suitable local nominees.
Scottish contract 2006 p694 |
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