The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7484 p7
5/12 January 2008

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Europe’s public supports further development of community pharmacy services to widen choice

Substantial public support exists for the further development of community pharmacies as alternatives to doctors’ surgeries, according to a report published last month.

“Greater expectations”, written by researchers at The School of Pharmacy, University of London, shows that 64 per cent of people across Europe, including over 75 per cent in the UK, believe that community pharmacies should be developed in this way to offer more choice when seeking advice and treatment for common conditions like hypertension.

The report looks at the development of community pharmacy in five EU member states relative to the UK experience. The researchers commissioned a survey of 6,000 people in France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Sweden and the UK.

Overall, half of those questioned are in favour of extending community pharmacists’ freedom to supply prescription-only medicines. Particularly strong support for this concept was found in the UK and Poland (68 per cent and 67 per cent, respectively). This compares with 40 per cent of people in France and Germany.

Commenting on the report, its author David Taylor, professor of pharmaceutical and public health policy, said: “Political leaders want the NHS to deliver better, faster and more convenient diagnostic and preventive care. But GPs and practice nurses are having to support increased numbers of people with complex needs. Extending pharmacy-based care is the obvious solution.”

The report looks at a number of other issues, including patient concerns over counterfeit medicines, moving more medicines to pharmacy status and the introduction of financial incentives to encourage closer working between doctors and pharmacists in the community. On this last point, the researchers suggest that the UK could learn from Germany where attempts have already been made by insurancers to encourage closer working between doctors and pharmacists.

Professor Taylor commented: “For public health interests to be served well, all the providers of health services and products like medicines need to respect each others’ contributions. Community pharmacists should be recognised as not only guardians of prescribing and medicines safety, but also as important healthcare providers. And British pharmacists should do all they can to support GPs, who are central to the success of the NHS.”