Int J Pharm Pract 1998;6:133-9

Division of General Practice and Primary Care, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, England
Richard M. Martin, BMedSci, BM, MRCGP, prescribing research fellow
Elizabeth Rink, BSc, MPhil, research manager

Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham
Susan G. Lunec, BPharm, MRPharmS, postgraduate teaching fellow

Correspondence: Dr Martin, Drug Safety Research Unit, Bursledon Hall, Blundell Lane, Southampton, England, S031 1AA drmann@dsru.u-net.com

Original Papers

UK postal survey of pharmacists working with general practices on prescribing issues: characteristics, roles and working arrangements

RICHARD M. MARTIN, SUSAN G. LUNEC and ELIZABETH RINK

Pharmacists are increasingly undertaking more non-dispensing work within the general practice setting. A postal survey of 414 United Kingdom pharmacists working with general practitioners (GPs), resulting in 174 responses (42 per cent), indicated that the pharmacists were working with 200 surgeries. The practices with which they worked were more likely to be fundholding (P<0.001), vocational training (P<0.001), and multipartner (P<0.01) practices, when compared with national statistics. Pharmacists funded by family health services authorities (FHSAs), commissioning agencies or health boards worked fewer hours in general practice (P=0.002) than those funded by a practice. The commonest roles, each reported by more than 50 per cent of pharmacists, were PACT (prescribing analysis and cost data) analysis, challenging doctors' prescribing, formulary development, guideline and protocol development, drug information resource, and liaison with pharmaceutical advisers. Thirty-two pharmacists ran in-house clinics. This study was limited by the low response rate. However, the findings suggest that pharmacists working with GPs undertake a range of roles, some of which involve direct patient care and responsibility for practice policy.