Pharmacists Should Have Active Role In Free Health Mots For All, UK

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 09 Jan 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Following Gordon Brown's proposal of free health MOTs for all, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) highlights the role that pharmacists can play in helping to build a more responsive and more accessible healthcare system.

A greater focus on prevention of Britain's biggest killers is a logical way forward for the NHS. Pharmacists can, and already do, provide health screening programmes including chlamydia, diabetes and blood pressure checks; in additional to providing health and lifestyle advice.

Community pharmacists are expert health professionals and can provide guidance and advice on a variety of conditions and public health issues. Pharmacies are accessible and located on most high streets and in communities where people live, shop and work; 99% of the population are able to reach a pharmacy within 20 minutes. Pharmacists have significant healthcare knowledge and will refer patients to their GP when necessary.

David Pruce, RPSGB Director of Practice and Quality Improvement said: "Pharmacists already have expertise in patient screening, and it makes sense that these further screening plans are rolled out in the pharmacy. Pharmacies are readily accessible on the high street and an appointment is usually not required.

"Pharmacists are ideally placed to help ease the burden on the NHS, particularly with regards to reducing waiting times and providing ease of access to care and medicines. Utilising the skills of pharmacists provides an opportunity to free up GPs, who don't have the time or capacity to screen patients and provide further follow up. By exploiting pharmacy services GPs can use their time more effectively to treat those patients identified as at risk."

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) is the professional and regulatory body for pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales. It also regulates pharmacy technicians

on a voluntary basis, which is expected to become statutory under anticipated legislation. The primary objectives of the Society are to lead, regulate, develop and represent the profession of pharmacy.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain