RPS England Board Chair Sandra Gidley comments on key outcomes
The English Pharmacy Board gathered as part of their quarterly meetings to be updated on the RPS workplan for this year. They talked about the RPS response to the NHS Long Term Plan alongside how the pharmacy workforce would support the developments of Primary Care Networks and Integrated Care Systems.
There were also discussions on the evolving environment around new technology advancements for pharmacists, whether this is horizon scanning, genomics or new digital services. The RPS will continue to update on the impact these changes can have for the profession and we will provide support to help prepare our members for the future. We are continuing our discussions with NHS England and NHS Improvement on the implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan.
The Board was updated on preparations for Brexit, recognising the implications that the withdrawal from the European Union is having on the profession and understanding the pressures pharmacists are currently under, particularly regarding patient access to medicines.
Commenting on the meeting, RPS England Board Chair Sandra Gidley said:
“Workforce was at the heart of the conversation throughout and we discussed how we can support all pharmacists from our work plan for this year. The RPS is aware that the NHS Long Term Plan has more mentions of pharmacy that any plan before it, and we need to ensure that pharmacists, in all settings, are made the most use of within healthcare. This would be a great achievement, and there is an important role that the RPS can play in supporting our members to understand their role within these new developments, for now and future”.
“We are continuing to seek clarity on the Serious Shortage Protocol and are continuing to engage and with the Government and other pharmacy organisations on this issue. We are calling for guidance from the Government on the protocol, which we will interpret for our members as soon as we can.’’