BMA gives support to joint meetings with PSNC
Laurence Buckman, chairman of the British Medical Association’s general practitioners committee, has expressed support for joint meetings between GP and pharmacy contract negotiators.
Dr Buckman discussed the issue at an All-Party
Pharmacy Group meeting earlier this month (PJ, 3 November, p487). He told The Journal this week
that, although he thought a joint conference for all representatives
of local medical committees and local pharmaceutical committees would
not be appropriate, the GPC and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee already meet regularly.
“I am very keen to meet the PSNC to talk over matters of mutual
interest, of which there are plenty,” he said.
A spokesman for the PSNC said that the GPC has indicated that it would
be willing to write a joint letter with the PSNC to LMCs and LPCs to
encourage closer working between pharmacists and GPs.
Parliamentary
reception At a Parliamentary reception this week,
Dr Buckman advocated
extending pharmacists’ roles to include supplying certain prescription
drugs for patients exempt from charges in order to free GPs’ time.
He added: “Patients
who need their drug use reviewed, both for interactions and compliance, can
already have this done by a pharmacist, who could also enhance
their professional role
by offering more immediate care advice to patients.”
The reception was
hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Primary Care and Public Health. |
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
Reader