10.12.13
NHS England calls for pharmacists to play ‘stronger role’
Community pharmacy should play a larger role in out-of-hospital care, NHS England has proposed.
Its new consultation calls for pharmacy professionals to consider how it can be used as a viable alternative to over-subscribed primary care services.
This includes how pharmacies can work with general practice to help deliver integrated out-of-hospital services and improve health outcomes, as well as the management of long-term conditions, supporting public health, and boosting efficiencies across the whole system.
Clare Howard, deputy chief pharmaceutical officer for NHS England, said: “We want community pharmacy to play an even stronger role at the heart of more integrated services. We are now developing an even greater understanding of the challenges that face Primary Care and how we must work differently to achieve sustainable change and support better health outcomes for patients, to provide more personalised care and deliver an excellent patient experience; this has to go hand-in-hand with the most efficient possible use of NHS resources.
“There is a great support from the profession as it understands the need for change. I am confident that the wider public discussion around the ‘Call to Action’ is also likely to generate many primary care-themed discussions and issues as well as potential solutions.”
Mark Robinson, pharmacy, medicines and medicines optimisation advisor to the NHS Alliance said: “There are many excellent examples of innovative community pharmacy based services around the country – our issue is both integrating these more effectively within the total community based primary care service and spreading them across the country to provide a consistency that patients can recognise and rely on. Small improvements in the use of technology, accelerating the access to Summary Care Records, direct access to GP appointments and teleconsultation can make a significant difference.”
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