NHS boards to outline pharmaceutical care services
Pharmaceutical care
Pharmaceutical care services are defined as “essential” services — the
four core services in the new
community pharmacy contract which must
be provided by all pharmacies who have an NHS contract — and “additional” services
which are locally negotiated but expected to be based on nationally
agreed specifications. |
NHS boards in Scotland are to produce draft pharmaceutical care service
(PCS) plans this autumn that will set out how pharmacy services should
be delivered. Details of the plans are explained in an NHS circular published
this week (PDF 140K).
The aim of PCS plans is for NHS boards to define what pharmacy services
are currently provided in their area, to identify future service needs
and any gaps in service provision. They will also include NHS boards’ recommendations
on how to meet these gaps.
PCS planning was first described in the Smoking,
Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 (PJ, 1/8 January
2005, p5). Legislation is still to be introduced, but this week’s circular states that it will
put a new requirement on NHS boards to secure or provide the pharmaceutical
care services necessary to meet their populations’ needs. NHS boards
have to prepare for the introduction of formal PCS planning by producing
a draft PCS plan. This work will contribute to the development of the
final PCS planning tool that will be used across Scotland.
Bill Scott, chief pharmaceutical officer for the Scottish Executive,
said: “This PCS planning tool is a significant step to ensuring
that pharmacy is considered as a core element of the planning process
within NHS boards for the benefit of patient care.
“The aim is to ensure that there is a standard and consistent approach
to the planning of pharmaceutical services across Scotland.”
Alex MacKinnon, head of corporate affairs, Community Pharmacy Scotland,
commented: “We are supportive of the principle of NHS boards being
able to plan pharmaceutical care services and contracts being based on
need.”
He added that CPS would be involved in further work with the Scottish
Executive to finalise the PCS planning tool.
The next step is for NHS boards to develop a first draft PCS plan and
submit it to the Scottish Executive by the end of November. Following
a review of these submissions, NHS boards will have to produce a final
draft PCS plan by March next year. The circular recommends that boards
should ensure local pharmacy groups are involved in the process.
Originally it had been intended for NHS boards to hold lists of the registered
pharmacists who could provide pharmaceutical care services in that area. “However,
this policy is currently subject to review in light of action being taken
as a consequence of the review of non-medical regulation,” the
circular states. |
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