independent prescribing

[mm45]

I was just wondering what everyones opinon on independent pharmacist prescribers are. Im currently a pharmacy student and was having an argument about this with a class mate. Hes very optimistic and believes soon we will have little offices in GP surgerys in which we will see patients and prescribe treatment. To be honest im quite sceptical about the whole thing, and although I'd love it if pharmacists had the power to prescribe independently, I just dont see how it will work.

I imagine we will just end up prescribing OTC medicines to customers who get free prescriptions to save them paying the OTC price and admending silly errors the doctors make. Im not quite sure it will make a huge difference in the way we work... but I really hope it does.

[Zoggite]

I imagine we will just end up prescribing OTC medicines to customers who get free prescriptions to save them paying the OTC price and admending silly errors the doctors make.

This is already the case: it's called "Minor Ailment Scheme" and "clinical Governance"...
But it can still be quite satisfying, and patients do appreciate it.
Your vision of independent pharmacist prescribing is quite accurate, I believe: as I understand it, PCTs employ pharmacists "specialised" in a certain field, like asthma or diabetes, and patients are then referred to them by GPs.
Actually, I feel a bit like that when I'm comfortably nestled in my cosy consultation area doing an MUR requested by a GP, to demonstrate inhaler techniques/use of spacers etc...
GPs have now also started sending me patients for the free smoking cessation programme that our Local Health Board has set up: I see patients once a week (or fortnight), take their CO reading, discuss their progress and/or problems with them, and issue them with a week's worth of NRT products depending on their needs and preferences, all free-of-charge (not even a Rx fee!)
So you see, your friend has every right to be optimistic!

[Linnear]

This is good Zogs if you've got the time to do it.m I enjoy Minor ailments and alike when you're not rushed. Makes me feel like I haven't wasted my education.

The problem comes when you're working for a multiple that operates on minimum staff and one's sick and another's on holiday.

Then there are no staff to help in the dispensary so you end up on your todd! You're trying to get all the Rxs done then someone wants EHC, ten minutes later a Minor Ailment then the roof falls in, sharks attack, a meteorite hits!, a


Sorry! Got a little carried away there please disregard all after 'Roof' !

[ramroum]

The practice nurses are already doing these specialized clinics (asthma, diabetics, smoking cessation..etc), so what are we dreaming of? becoming like these nurses having our own reviw clinics?? they are probably cheaper.
(sorry nurses, but pharmacists study 5 years university+ prereg and must get good A levels before this, then to dream in doing what nurses been doing for a while!!!)

[Jeff]

I was just wondering what everyones opinon on independent pharmacist prescribers are. Im currently a pharmacy student and was having an argument about this with a class mate. Hes very optimistic and believes soon we will have little offices in GP surgerys in which we will see patients and prescribe treatment.

Yup - they are here now for supplementary prescribers - I suspect that many of the supplementary will become independant prescribers.

To be honest im quite sceptical about the whole thing, and although I'd love it if pharmacists had the power to prescribe independently, I just dont see how it will work.
I imagine we will just end up prescribing OTC medicines to customers who get free prescriptions to save them paying the OTC price

That's a "minor ailment scheme"

As for how inependant prescribing will work - every P medicine we have ever sold can be considered as having been prescribed by a pharmacist - that's why they are P medicines. We have made a mockery of it.
Until we sort out the recording of what we supply and the accountability for doing so supplementary and independant prescribing will only be after additional training and under controlled conditions.

Jeff

[Zoggite]

every P medicine we have ever sold can be considered as having been prescribed by a pharmacist - that's why they are P medicines. We have made a mockery of it.

I totally disagree: WE haven't made a total mockery of it, the pharmaceutical industry has, by lobbying and pushing for more and more POM-to-P switches and especially P-to-GSL switches: in just a few years' time, potent drugs like beclomethasone nasal sprays, ranitidine, or cetirizine have found their way from dispensaries to supermaket shelves and petrol station tills, thus turning them into consumer goods on a par with sweets, and undermining the public's perception of our expertise in medicines by making everyone think that they can treat themselves.
The industry try to make us believe that they are looking after our interests by marketing (slightly) different packs of a particular drug "available through Pharmacies only", like voltarol-p emugel and Nizoral/nizorelle shampoo, but we all know that they just see us as annoying busy-bodies who get in the way of customers' impulse-buying and therefore slow down sales...

Until we sort out the recording of what we supply and the accountability for doing so supplementary and independant prescribing will only be after additional training and under controlled conditions.

Jeff

Why is additional training necessary to assume accountability of supply?
When I read in the PJ that a survey published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal found that "of 107 people admitted to hospital for acute paracetamol overdose, 106 had obtained the tablets from non-pharmacy outlets", it seems to me that we're not doing too bad...

[xiongliang0]

Hi, mm45

In your country, pharmacists do not have prescribing POD?
In my country, pharmacists do not have prescribing.

[Jeff]

xiongliang0,
We have a category of medicines that can only be sold from a pharmacy.
We have pharmacists as "supplementary prescribers" that can prescribe to continue treatment and we are about to have pharmacists as "independant prescribers" that can prescribe anything that they feel competent with.
The supplementary and independent prescribers have additional training and usually work under the supervision of a doctor.
Jeff

[xiongliang0]

Hi,
Well, sounds good. In my country (China) , the Work of Clinical Pharmacy was launched not far before ( the work began in 1980s). So much work have to be done now. Once in a long time in China, doctors is the everything in the hospital. The pharmachists was considered as "inferior than nurses", whose work was just distributing medicines in the drougstore of hospital day by day.

Although at present this situation continues, but the China Health Department has realized the importantment of the Clinical Pharmcists.And recently the Health Department has a program to train pharmacist additionally as Clinical Pharmacist. I want to get the chance and be a Clinical Pharmacist. I'll graduate from school soon. The job of Clinical Pharmacist is the favorite for me.

xiongliang0

[koomcity]

The best news in my life is this news

"The pharmacist became Independent prescriber"

Do you feel the meaning of Independent??


Yes It does not mean assisstant
this mean that we are not under the order of other one.
we are Independaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant.

[xiongliang0]

The best news in my life is this news

"The pharmacist became Independent prescriber"

Do you feel the meaning of Independent??


Yes It does not mean assisstant
this mean that we are not under the order of other one.
we are Independaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant.

Well, Komm. The more Power pharmacists have, the more Obligations and Responsibility they will perfmon. I think so.

Also, for most pharmacists in China,there are many knowledges about Clinical to study. At right now,they konw little about clinical. So an advanced education after graducating is Necessary.