Pharmacist independent prescribing new for Wales
Independent prescribing by pharmacists and nurses in Wales was given
the go-ahead by the Welsh Assembly Government last week. As will be the
case in England and Scotland, suitably trained pharmacists in Wales will
be able to prescribe any licensed medicine for any condition, with the
exception of Controlled Drugs.
Brian Gibbons (left) with Peter Jones |
During a visit to Boots The Chemists in
Cardiff last week, health minister Brian Gibbons announced that a project
board will be set up to advise
and support the implementation of independent prescribing in Wales.
“Independent prescribing will mean that suitably qualified nurses and
pharmacists will not only be able to offer advice on health promotion
and management of chronic conditions but also be able to prescribe independently
for their patients in hospital and community settings. This will provide
new ways for patients to access the right person, at the right time to
provide the most appropriate service,” said Dr Gibbons.
The British Medical Association welcomed the announcement, in contrast
to its response to the launch
of independent prescribing in England and Scotland last year (PJ, 19 November 2005, p621). Chairman of the BMA’s
GP committee, Andrew Dearden, said: “GPC Wales welcomes the statement
of the minister today on the introduction of nurse and pharmacist prescribing
in Wales. We can, of course, never replace doctors with other health
professions, but each has their role and areas of expertise.”
He added that the committee could see many roles that can be fulfilled
by nurses and pharmacists who are able to prescribe independently. “Many
[patients with] minor self-limiting illnesses or ailments [who] do not
really need to see a GP, could be seen and treated quite appropriately
by this new extended role. With the introduction of cheaper, and finally
free prescriptions, the request for those medicines that would otherwise
have needed a visit to the GP to obtain the prescription, could be obtained
from, for example, the pharmacist, and release a valuable GP appointment
for someone who truly needed it.”
Peter Jones, chairman of the Welsh Executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society, said that the move is good news for patients, pharmacy and the
wider health care community in Wales, allowing pharmacists’ skills
and expertise to benefit patients.
Peter Haydn Jones, chief executive of Community Pharmacy Wales, also
welcomed the announcement. “CPW looks forward to participating
in and working with the project board in order to see this key policy
delivered across Wales.”
The Welsh Assembly Government cannot yet confirm when pharmacists in
Wales are likely to begin prescribing independently. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
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