The Pharmacy Voice board has agreed their plan of action for 2011. The priorities for Pharmacy Voice will be centred around moving forward its vision, outlined in Community pharmacy – A blueprint for health; influencing the reshaping of the NHS; and campaigning to reduce the unnecessary bureaucracy that is dragging down its members.
Continuing to refine and pursue the vision for community pharmacy. This was initially articulated in Community pharmacy – A blueprint for health and is now out for consultation with a wide range of stakeholders until April 2011. By the end of the summer, once all feedback has been taken into account, a work plan towards achieving the vision will be put in place.
Influencing the re-shaping of the NHS. This is a wide-ranging programme which includes proactive lobbying for a positive outcome for pharmacy from the Health and Social Care Bill; working to protect existing enhanced services; establishing relationships with and starting to work directly with GP Commissioning Consortia (whatever form they may ultimately take); and making a strong case for the commissioning of public health services via community pharmacy, in particular with local government.
Campaigning to reduce the burden of unnecessary bureaucracy.Recognising the increasing day to day burden on members, this will span a range of issues including the supply chain, supervision policy, and much more.
Proactive media relations, and member and stakeholder engagement will be a mainstay of this work and Pharmacy Voice will engage on other live issues as they emerge to champion its members’ interests. Already Pharmacy Voice has responded to around a dozen consultations from organisations such as the Department of Health and GPhC, and this programme will continue to ensure pharmacy’s view on key proposed changes is heard.
Rob Darracott, chief executive of Pharmacy Voice said:
“Our plans for 2011 are taking shape. We would encourage everyone - independents, multiples, individual pharmacists and other stakeholders - to respond to our vision document Community pharmacy – A blueprint for health. The NHS is facing financial and management challenges, and while there is a temptation to focus on how we influence the changing structures, to do that from a position of strength we need to set out clearly how pharmacy can deliver improved patient outcomes and squeeze value from the NHS medicines budget. We want to know how pharmacists would redesign the system they work in to make those ambitions a reality. We believe that medicines experts can make the best case for the most effective use of medicines expertise, and for the safe and effective use of medicines which follows. The approach could be structured around aligning incentives, rewarding appropriately the ongoing investment risk, or removing the bureaucracy that adds nothing to patient care. Whether you agree with us or not we are very keen to hear your views.”