Tremendous role for pharmacy in new polyclinics, Darzi declares
Rex Features
Obese people have gained benefits from pharmacy services, Darzi acknowledged |
Pharmacists have a tremendous role to play in future polyclinics, Lord
Darzi of Denham stressed in response to questions from the House of
Commons Health Committee about his report into the future of the NHS.
He said he recognised the potential of what pharmacists could do in terms
of helping people maintain healthy lifestyles and the benefits they have
already brought through smoking cessation and obesity services. “The
role they could play in all aspects of staying healthy is tremendously
important — planned care, even an episode of acute out-of-hours
care.” He added that users of polyclinics would appreciate having
different providers, including pharmacy, integrated at a local level.
Lord Darzi also said he thought pharmacists would be able to work with
other clinicians in polyclinics. They could improve prescribing decisions
and enhance the safety of prescribing, he suggested. He also recognised
the role pharmacists could play in ensuring the NHS made more rational
use of drug budgets.
In addition, Lord Darzi confirmed that he has an open mind about how
polyclinic services would be provided. The NHS Local Improvement Finance
Trust (LIFT) schemes should be looked at, he said, and made more accessible
to primary care by addressing concerns about some of the fixed costs
associated with the schemes. But he said that he was prepared to look
at a whole range of possible providers and structures for polyclinics.
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