The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7395 p417
8 April 2006

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· Medicines use reviews
· Packaging (2)
· CVD
· Drug trials
· Product data
· Technology
· Allergy
· Boots/Alliance merger
· NEL LPC
· Council elections
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· Registration
· April Fool (5)

Letters to the Editor

Technology

We need to help patients see the benefits

From Mr C. Cooper, MRPharmS

Use of technology in pharmacy has progressed enormously in recent years. Only 25 years ago we were handwriting medicine labels and the only records we kept were of Controlled Drugs and private prescriptions. Yet, within the next couple of years we will have progressed to a fully electronic prescription service and maybe even a joined-up care record for patients.

Although these advances are welcomed by health care professionals I am not sure the majority of patients yet see the benefit of them, particularly the more elderly, who generate the bulk of our dispensing business. They have concerns about the loss of their paper prescription and repeat request form. As pharmacists we need to be driving the use of technology for patient benefit and embracing change on their behalf.

The reassurance that comes from pharmacists having access to a full patient record of medicines and conditions is valuable and something we must continue to strive for. We can also make use of the decision support and reimbursement capabilities of many of our systems, so that pharmacists are freed from routine tasks to deliver further services and improve the health of the nation.

If elected to the Council I will urge the Royal Pharmaceutical Society to produce materials, in addition to that available from Connecting for Health, to help patients with this transition.

Chris Cooper
Council Election Candidate
Royal Pharmaceutical Society

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