Work has begun on the implementation of actions from the government’s recent white paper, Pharmacy in England – Building on Strengths, Delivering the Future, NHS Employers said last week.
NHS Employers and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) will now be meeting on a regular basis to collaborate on work involving the following areas from the white paper:
- Professional relationships.
- Repeat dispensing.
- Pharmaceutical needs assessment.
- Medicines Use Reviews (MURs).
The NHS Employers Community Pharmacy team will be led by Felicity Cox, the former chief executive of Watford and Three Rivers PCT and Dacorum PCT, who was also a community pharmacist.
The British Medical Association’s General Practitioners Committee (GPC) will also have a close involvement in discussions regarding professional relationships.
Felicity Cox, NHS Employers lead negotiator said: “We are pleased to support changes that will really maximise the potential of community pharmacy, enabling closer working relationships in primary care and improving the way we deliver services locally to patients.”
Sue Sharpe, PSNC Chief Executive Officer said: “PSNC is looking forward to starting this vitally important work. Our aim is to ensure we create the right environment for pharmacies to provide a wider range of accessible and sustainable clinically-led NHS services, which will maintain and improve health in local communities.”
Dr Laurence Buckman, GPC chair, said: “We look forward to developing professional relationships between GPs and pharmacists, closer working will be to the benefit of patients.”
