(Scotland only)
Pharmacists bring their expertise in all aspects of medicines and their use into the General Practice team and have a key role to ensure safe prescribing systems are in place. This will involve the whole practice team, with everyone working within their own competency and to the best of their ability.
GPs require time with patients with complex medical issues. Pharmacists require time with those with complex medication issues and for the management of long term conditions.
Authorising/actioning repeat prescriptions and acute requests should not be the sole responsibility of one profession. It will require triage and efficient use of all prescribers in the practice and the wide skill mix available. It also requires working closely with community pharmacist colleagues to enrol suitable patients for serial prescribing and long-term conditions management in the Care and Review service.
The Competency Framework for all Prescribers published by RPS in 2016 is multidisciplinary and clearly outlines what must be considered before signing prescriptions whether face to face with patients or when prescribing remotely.
Each GP practice is unique, and flexibility in the pharmacotherapy service provided is required to prioritise care according to the needs of the patient, with an efficient use of the skill mix available.
The guiding principles for pharmacists working in GP practice can be found in the Joint Statement published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Royal College of General Practitioners.
You can also read our pharmacy guide on repeat prescribing here.
-February 2019