Primary Care Pharmacy November 1999 Vol 1 No 1 p29

News

Minister recognises primary care role

The Minister for Health, Mr John Denham, clearly recognises the role of primary care pharmacists. In a speech delivered for him by the acting chief pharmacist at the Department of Health (Mrs Jeanette Howe) on October 6, Mr Denham said: "We are seeing the development of a new cadre of pharmacists for whom supply is no longer central. Their focus is on getting the most for patients, for the NHS and for the country out of medicines. "The clinical pharmacist is. . . also now part of life in many GP practices.

John Denham, Minister for Health

"Prescribing advice, formulary development, reviews of repeat prescribing are now a familiar, accepted and valued part of practice. As are the savings they lead to, and the benefits for patients.
"Every penny a pharmacist saves by facilitating more rational prescribing frees up money that the NHS can spend directly on providing more and better care. Every patient whose medication is changed to reduce unpleasant side effects, or to make it work more effectively, is a patient whom the NHS is serving better.
"Indeed, patients are getting used to more direct contact with pharmacists outside the pharmacy - be it anticoagualant monitoring, asthma clinics, or medication reviews.
"If you are the patient of a forward thinking practice and you have been taking several different medicines for a while, you could well find yourself invited in for a session with your practice pharmacist. And the research evidence suggests you may well benefit from it."
The speech was delivered at a Royal Pharmaceutical Society Council dinner.