Royal Pharmaceutical Society Of Great Britain Submits Views On Darzi Report To Health Select Committee

Main Category: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 22 Jul 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has given its views on the Final Report by Lord Darzi to the House of Commons.

The Commons Health Select Committee has been holding an Inquiry into the Health Minister's Report and as part of this has sought the views of six different organisations: the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP); London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM); the NHS Confederation, the Kings Fund; the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges; and the Society.

The Society's Director of Policy and Communications David Pruce gave the pharmacy perspective, appearing with Professor Steve Field, Chair of the RCGP and Professor Nick Mays of the LSHTM.

The Society was generally pleased with the results of the Review and suggested the Select Committee ask Lord Darzi - appearing next week - how his Review will take account of other recent initiatives, such as the Pharmacy White Paper(1).

David Pruce said:

"The Report by Lord Darzi, coupled with the Pharmacy White Paper, gives the opportunity for pharmacy to make real changes to the experiences of patients. We are, however, particularly concerned about how variable implementation is across Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). For example, the Pharmacy White Paper talks about a national minor ailment service through pharmacies, yet only 24% of PCTs currently commission them. When we examined the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) vision statements we saw enormous variability in the involvement of pharmacists. We also found significant inconsistencies in the SHA's conclusions about the pharmacist's role in delivering these visions."

The Select Committee is expected to Question Lord Darzi this week and publish a report on the Review in the coming weeks.

(1) Department of Health. (3 April 2008): Pharmacy in England: Building on strengths - delivering the future

Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
http://www.rpsgb.org.uk