BMA: Plans should improve health
Friday, 04 Apr 2008 11:35
Plans to extend the roles of pharmacists should help to improve people's health, the British Medical Association (BMA) claims.
The doctors' group believes that although GPs are best for the treatment of long-term conditions, pharmacists can help to support patients.
Under the government plans pharmacists will be able to prescribe certain medication and screen for vascular disease and some sexually transmitted infections.
"We agree there are many areas in which appropriately trained pharmacists can take on extended roles in primary care and we would welcome this," said Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GPs committee.
"To do so they will need to provide private and confidential areas for consultations. It has been possible for primary care trusts to commission these and other pharmacist services for several years, but few seem to have done so."
Dr Buckman added: "We believe the overall management of patients with long-term conditions is best done within general practice but pharmacists have a role to play in supporting patients in their use of medicines.
"In general we are in favour of the idea of pharmacists being commissioned to help improve health outcomes."