Providing services from pharmacies will relieve pressure on GPs
Providing diagnostic tests and other services in pharmacies will reduce the number of visits patients need to make to other health professionals and will mean GPs' time can be used more effectively, according to the NHS Confederation.
In a paper written for the Government
to consider in its consultation on out-of-hospital care — “Your
health, your care, your say” — the
confederation outlines the key principles it believes should underlie
the development of out-of-hospital care. These include integrating services
and improving continuity of service across providers, as well as encouraging
self-care, visits for groups of patients with similar conditions and
consultations via e-mail and telephone.
The confederation argues that a much higher proportion of patients should
be seeing health professionals other than GPs, including patients with
minor conditions and those who need more specialist advice. “Services
in pharmacies may also enable GP time to be better used,” it adds.
The paper also emphasises the importance of considering the cost of health
care in terms of patients’ time. “Patients should be able
to have all their needs met in the minimum number of encounters, including
imaging and blood tests. This means more one-stop services, using larger
and more comprehensive facilities, as well as using non-NHS settings,
such as providing some basic testing in pharmacies or supermarkets,” it
says. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
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