Breaking Down The Barriers: GPs And Pharmacists Launch Joint Inquiry

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 11 Nov 2009 - 8:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

A new Inquiry has been jointly launched by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) to encourage closer integrated working between the two professions, locally and nationally.

The Inquiry will examine:

- current barriers to integrated working;
- arrangements that could be put in place to facilitate more effective working in primary care;
- existing examples of good partnership between GPs and pharmacists;
- benefits for patients.

It will take written evidence from a wide and diverse range of stakeholders and some contributors will be called to give oral evidence to a panel of experts from the two organisations.

A final report is expected to be published in February 2010 to inform and shape the public debate around how future primary healthcare services can be delivered more effectively.

RPSGB President Steve Churton said:" This joint Inquiry is the start of an initiative that enables both professions to deliver real improvements in primary healthcare.

"We would particularly like to hear about examples of good practice that can be replicated on a national scale. This project has the potential to result in better working relationships and a better healthcare system for patients."

Submissions should be sent to Charles Willis at the RPSGB charles.willis@rpsgb.org A series of questions has been compiled to assist with contributions. They can be found here.

Notes

Initial results from the Inquiry are expected to be published at the end of December, with a final report being released in February 2010.

Source
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

• Additional
• References
• Citations