Pharmacy Voice has welcomed the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement to the NHS Future Forum which acknowledges pharmacists’ role as an important source of expert advice.
The report, which was released yesterday, is a detailed explanation of how the Government plans to implement improvements to its plans for NHS modernisation.
In the section on clinical advice and leadership, the report says:
Commissioners will need advice and support to improve integration across health and care services: for instance, from the nurses, allied health professionals and pharmacists who have contact with patients day in and day out; from the hospital doctors who provide care for patients with the most serious needs; from the public health experts who plan how to improve our health and stop disease; and from the social care professionals who make sure services are there to support the vulnerable.
Rob Darracott, chief executive of Pharmacy Voice said:
“Although we would like to see pharmacists on the governing bodies of clinical commissioning groups, we are pleased that the important role of pharmacy has been acknowledged by the Government. Pharmacists see more people, more often, even than GPs do so the advice and support they will give to commissioners will be vital.
“We look forward to finding out how this advice will be formally implemented in commissioning groups. Our sector has unique insights which can help deliver the NHS better, more joined up patient care. This advice applies to commissioners across the board, so we will be looking to see that all those commissioning services, including local authorities and the NHS Commissioning Board get appropriate advice about how community pharmacy can deliver for patients and the NHS.”