Primary Care Pharmacy November 2001 Vol 2 No 3 p57

Viewpoint

Dear Reader

This is to let you know that this is the last issue of PCP (Primary Care Pharmacy) in its present form. It has supported the interests of the growing band of pharmacists working with primary care organisations in England, Scotland and Wales who are advising and helping general practitioners and other health care professionals. However, the issues covered in the journal appeal to a much wider audience than primary care pharmacists alone, particularly with the increasing emphasis on improved prescribing through medicines management services and pharmaceutical care.

Community pharmacists are increasingly offering additional services in their own premises and at medical practices while hospital pharmacists appreciate the benefits of closer collaboration between themselves and their colleagues working in primary care and the community. The new generation of nurse prescribers are aware how much they rely on pharmacists' support and general practitioners, both at practice level and at board level in primary care organisations, are increasingly keen to involve pharmacists both in an advisory capacity and in a more hands-on way.

For these reasons PCP is to be relaunched in January 2002 as a bi-monthly bulletin to be called Medicines Management. It will cover many of the issues that have been the hallmark of PCP but in a slightly different style. Articles will be as practical as possible and written in an accessible way so that readers can easily pick up information and tips and think: "I can try that, too." Sheena Macgregor, editor of PCP, has agreed to join the editorial board of Medicines Management.

Readers of PCP will automatically receive Medicines Management so there is nothing more for you to do except wait until January for the first issue.

Yours sincerely,

Olivia Timbs

Editorial Director
PJ Publications

PS: To find out more about Medicines Management, click here