We've responded to the NHS England delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care, published this week.
Thorrun Govind, Chair of RPS England, commented on the plan: “Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy teams have been on the frontline of COVID-19 and have shown enormous dedication to supporting the nation’s health.
“Clearing the backlog of planned care is just one part of the NHS recovery and the Government must now focus on supporting new ways of working to meet growing healthcare needs in England.
“As the third-largest health profession, pharmacists have a clear role to play in the effort to clear the elective backlog, as part of the multidisciplinary team.
“We have seen some positive steps around pharmacists supporting urgent care as well earlier diagnosis for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, but this could go further with the right support.
“With growing numbers of independent prescribers, there’s a clear opportunity to make the most of pharmacy professional practice to deliver high-quality patient care.
“This all needs to be supported by a clear workforce plan, backed by appropriate funding, to recruit, retain and train the staff we need.”
Read the delivery plan.
Read more RPS news.