The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7417 p298
9 September 2006

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We all could do better more
To split or not to split? more

We all could do better

Two documents published at the British Pharmaceutical Conference held in Manchester earlier this week have inter-related themes — although this was not acknowledged at the time. The first was the national framework for pharmacists with special interests (PhwSIs) that was launched by health minister Andy Burnham. The second, launched by the national clinical director for primary care, David Colin-Thomé, was a summary of research carried out on behalf of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s long-term conditions project, which brings together evidence from published studies and evaluated practice in the UK and internationally to show what contribution community pharmacists can make to long-term care.

In the second document five steps are described which, if followed, lead to full engagement of pharmacy services. The first (case finding) involves identifying patients who live in the vicinity who have a particular condition, leading through monitoring, education and medication review to the fifth step — therapy management and prescribing. It is on the fifth step that PhwSIs come into their own and can make the most impact on patients’ health. One key phrase in the definition of a PhwSI underlines this: “They will have demonstrated appropriate skills and competencies to deliver those services without direct supervision.”

Some pharmacists already have special clinical interests. Almost by definition,they care for people with long-term conditions. So, with these two significant documents being launched in the same week, what a pity BPC organisers did not invite these pharmacists to talk about their work. Although there are relatively few of them in the UK, there are certainly enough to have put a conference session together, even at short notice.

The profession as a whole, including individuals and organisations (and we will not exclude The Journal from this criticism), could do more to promote good practice and bring examples of innovative pharmaceutical services to everyone’s attention.

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To split or not to split?

Whether or not the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has to split in order to separate its regulatory functions from its professional leadership role was raised at the British Pharmaceutical Conference. The chief pharmaceutical officers of the four UK home countries are no longer singing quite the same tune (p299) and both Bill Scott, Scotland, and Keith Ridge, England, discussed the option of splitting the Society. What is important — and this point was emphasised by Mr Ridge, who is arguably the officer with his ear closest to Government — is that the debate and decision about how the profession will be led and regulated in the future should not be protracted. If it were, it would likely distract pharmacists from more important professional endeavours.

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