In Health & NHS news

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

The Numark chair Harry McQuillan has cautiously welcomed the Government’s budget as a potential “turning point” for community pharmacy but only if Labour backs up its pledges with proper support for the sector.

McQuillan (pictured) told Independent Community Pharmacist there was quite a lot to be optimistic about in the budget from pharmacy’s perspective, including the promise to invest £300 million in technology for NHS services and the creation of 250 new neighbourhood health centres.

He said the investment in technology can be used to improve “digital links” between pharmacies, GPs and hospitals through shared electronic health records, streamlined processing of prescriptions and remote consultation tools.

“These are exactly the tools that would allow our pharmacies to take on more clinical responsibilities, relieve pressure on GPs and deliver more convenient care for patients,” McQuillan said.

Neighbourhood health centres offer 'strategic opportunity'

He insisted the formation of neighbourhood health centres offered a “strategic opportunity” to improve community health but only if pharmacies are involved in the planning of their services right from the start.

Announcing the roll-out of the 250 centres on Monday, the Government said they will bring GPs, nurses, dentists and pharmacists “together under one roof to best meet the needs of the community, starting in the most deprived areas”. McQuillan said more detail was needed about pharmacies’ roles.

“As new facilities open, pharmacies should be part of the planning, not co-located. (We need to make) more use of the existing (pharmacy) network through digital integration,” he said.

“That will allow us to contribute to primary care services, deliver common clinical condition treatment, vaccination and chronic disease support.

“That integration would make the proposed centres more effective, as the community pharmacy network is already sited at the heart of where people live and particularly, in areas of deprivation helping reduce health inequality.”

Ringfenced funding to cover national minimum wage increase

McQuillan urged the Government to provide ringfenced funding to cover the 4.1 per cent increase in the national minimum wage which takes effect from April.

Challenging Labour to publish a “timetable for implementation” of the measures, he said: “Promises on paper are not the same as delivery. What matters now is clarity. (We need) transparency over how the technology investment will be allocated and how pharmacies will be included in the development and operation of the new health centres.

“I remain hopeful as these are the kind of big structural changes that could give community pharmacy the recognition it deserves and, more importantly, deliver better, more accessible care.

"The Westminster Government must back words with action and involve community pharmacy at every step.”