Ills, skills and pills

Posted by jchoules

26 September 2017

When we think of a pharmacist, the picture of a white-coated individual dispensing medication in our local chemist may come to mind. They may be back office, carefully checking medicines into white paper bags and then coming to the shop floor to offer over-the-counter advice. Traditionally they were the chemists making up lotions and potions. Yet, with their four years of Master’s level training with an additional pre-registration year, there is an increasing view that their potential in delivering healthcare has not been fully realised. In the busy environment of general practice with staff working to meet the myriad needs of patients, a variety of healthcare practitioners are needed. Considering the current trend of rising prescriptions and polypharmacy, a pharmacist within a general practice team may be of huge benefit. Naturally in this healthcare context, there will be pharmacists’ roles around pharmacy liaison, practice processes and quality improvement activities. There will also be opportunities for patient-facing consultations with pharmacists making diagnosis and writing prescriptions. To optimise the input of pharmacy expertise and to provide quality care, pharmacists in general practice will need to extend their skills in clinical assessments and reflective practice. The article ‘Ills, skills and pills’ discusses this further considering the challenges of extending pharmacists’ roles, pharmacists integrating into general practices and ensuring the safety of patient care.

Sims L, Campbell J. Ills, skills and pills: developing the clinical skills of pharmacists in general practice. Br J Gen Pract 2017; 67 (662): 417-18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp17X692453

Laura Sims 17.08.17