Further boost to medicines management in DoH vision
Pharmacists in England have once more been promised that they may become independent prescribers in a document that reiterates the Government's future plans for the profession.
The Department of Health pledged in its report ‘A vision for pharmacy
in the NHS’ published in July, that it intends consulting on the
new role in early 2004 after the first pharmacists start working as supplementary
prescribers in partnership with GPs.
The Government’s continued commitment to independent prescribing
has been widely welcomed.
Georgina Craig, head of NHS service development at the National Pharmaceutical
Association, said: “We think the obvious way for supplementary
prescribing to move forward for pharmacists is for them to become independent
prescribers.
“What pharmacists need to do is to look at this in the context
of the bigger picture which includes the new GP contract and their quality
framework.
Pharmacists and GPs need to get together locally to decide who does what.”
NPA director of pharmacy practice Collette McCreedy added: “I am
delighted to see independent prescribing in the strategy. It is a different
kind of role to that of supplementary prescribing. I would very much
like to see community pharmacists becoming independent prescribers as
part of their role in treating minor ailments.”
Alastair Buxton, head of NHS services for the PSNC is pleased that independent
prescribing is still at the top of the Government’s pharmacy agenda.
He said: “There had been a feeling that independent prescribing
had gone off the boil and I am really pleased to see it in this report.
I think pharmacists will find it easier to get involved in independent
prescribing than in supplementary prescribing, which has potentially
got limited use.”
He added: “I don’t think it will require much additional
training beyond what is needed to become a supplementary prescriber.”
The DoH vision for pharmacy also gives community pharmacists a much greater
role in medicines management, particularly in helping to deliver some
of the targets of the national service frameworks for diabetes,
renal and long-term conditions. Pharmacists will also be expected to
provide minor ailment advice to parents as a part of the children’s
national service framework, it says.
The Government also intends to increase the range of medicines which
are available over the counter in pharmacies without prescription.
The report outlines other new roles pharmacists may take on as an “additional
services” under the new contract currently being negotiated. These
include supplying emergency contraception; monitoring patients on warfarin
or lithium; and performing face-to-face medicines
use reviews.
Mr Buxton said: “The report recognises that pharmacists need to
change the way they practice. The profession is resigned to the fact
that this is happening and pharmacists need to grasp the nettle.”
The vision for pharmacy also outlines the future role of hospital pharmacists
and says the government intends to increase medicines management in hospital
pharmacy. It is due to publish a strategy report on this later this year.
|
