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White Paper
England expects
From Mr J. A. S. Buisson, MRPharm
Publication of the long-awaited White Paper on pharmacy in England
is imminent. We must hope that the Department of Health is now preparing
to take action on many of the issues facing pharmacy. Above all, the
department must take steps to integrate pharmacy services across primary,
community and secondary care.
What we do not need is another long explanation of the problems. These
have been clearly outlined by the All Party Pharmacy Group and are understood
by all pharmacy bodies, including the English Pharmacy Board.
At the recent Darzi engagement event in London it was clear that there
was an emerging consensus among those present about both the nature of
the problem and the necessary changes. This meeting, like its counterpart
in Manchester, was attended by representatives covering all parts of
pharmacy involved with the NHS in England. The unanimity of the views
expressed was striking and I hope that this was noted by Lord Darzi and
the DoH officials present.
The English Pharmacy Board has, naturally, made Lord Darzi’s review
of the NHS and the pharmacy White Paper two of its six key objectives
for 2008. We want to ensure that the undoubtedly warm words we can expect
about pharmacy are translated into practical actions that benefit patients
and pharmacists alike. This is why I am standing for election to the
board this year.
Urgent action is needed to deal with the cashflow-wrecking aspects of
Category M changes, the emerging chaos of EPS Release 2, the ragged patchwork
of enhanced services commissioning, and the way patients can fall between
the gaps when discharged from secondary to primary care rather then receiving
proper pharmaceutical care.
Winston Churchill (whose wartime bunker is but a stone’s throw
from the DoH’s own in Whitehall) would dismiss promises and demand “Action
this day”. England expects nothing less from the White Paper.
Jonathan Buisson
English Pharmacy Board Election Candidate
Feltham, Middlesex |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal