The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7406 p739
24 June 2006

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News summary

GPs reassured over extended pharmacist prescribing rights

Concerns among doctors that unrestricted prescribing by pharmacists could pose a danger to patients were rejected by GPs last week at their annual local medical committees conference in London.

Conference participants were reassured that pharmacists would prescribe only within their areas of competence.

However, GPs called for individual prescribers to be wholly responsible and indemnified for their prescribing.

They also want primary care organisations to identify separate prescribing budgets for nurse and pharmacist prescribers. Following a debate, GPs conceded that new funds would not be required for prescribing activities that would otherwise be part of GPs’ workload.