PHARMACISTS
TO HELP GP's
SAVE TIME
(12th February 2002)
 40
new pilot pharmacies will each get £75,000 of funding to support
GPs, help patients get the best out of their medicines and tackle
NHS waste. They are part of a Medicines Management programme, hosted
by the National Prescribing Centre.
The
first wave of 26 pilot sites were announced last July. The next
wave of 40 pilot sites were announced today by Health Minister Hazel
Blears.
Speaking
at the launch of the Barking and Havering Health Authority medicines
management project, Ms Blears said: "The
sites I have approved today stretch from the far west of Cornwall
to the North East. Everyone
wins with medicines management. Patients get help and better healthcare,
the NHS makes better use of its resources and professionals make
better use of their skills."
Medicine
management helps patients get the best out of their medicines by:
-
promoting the better use of medicines amongst patients to improve
health and reduce waste;
-
discussing problems with patients through ongoing assessments
and reviews of medication; and
-
ensuring advice is available at GP surgeries and at community
pharmacist premises.
Early
results from the first 26 pilot sites suggest that patients are
already seeing the benefits. They are having their regular medicines
reviewed more often to make sure they get the right medicines at
the right time. And as well as better access to information, they
are also able to get more help when they need it.
For
example, community pharmacists in Coventry are
working alongside their local GPs to review patients' regular medicines
while those in South Birmingham are offering a more accessible service
for patients collecting medicines. This is not only making better
use of the skills of local pharmacists but saving GPs' time and
improving patient care.
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