Jennifer Richardson: The ball's in your court
Pharmacists will have to take their own steps to heal GP relationships, says Jennifer Richardson
Last week I wrote that the relevant powers should take “firm, arguably punitive, action” against healthcare professionals who influence where patients have their prescriptions dispensed. Now Pharmacy Voice has revealed more details of behind-the-scenes work that could make this a reality: a Pharmacy Voice task group that aims to build support for regulatory action; and an NHS England working group that Pharmacy Voice says will turn to “regulatory activities” if “voluntary means” fail.
This is encouraging – but it has taken years to get even this hope of real action, something I have argued must not be allowed to happen with the currently hotter issue of flu jab patient diversion. C+D readers have been sceptical that any real action will be taken against GP practices discouraging patients from having their vaccination in a pharmacy – and, it seems from this week’s responses from GP leaders, rightly so. Both their professional body and regulator have nominally backed patient choice – but both organisations’ silence over how they will tackle the specific examples of GPs curtailing it speaks louder.
NHS England similarly declined to comment on specific action. However, PSNC claims the commissioning body has indeed “so far tackled these issues when [they have] been brought to [its] attention”; and one example of a surgery backtracking known to C+D suggests NHS England’s involvement, certainly a positive sign it is taking the issue seriously.
As I also said last week, while the onus is on NHS England to lead resolution, individual pharmacists can take steps to heal local relationship issues over the national pharmacy flu service. So C+D has created a template letter to help you do just that.
You might feel that a telephone call or face-to-face meeting would be more appropriate, particularly if you already have a personal relationship with your local GP or practice manager. If so, we hope the letter will nonetheless provide you with some ideas about how you might approach that conversation and the points you want to raise. Let us know how it goes.
Help us reveal your working conditions
Perhaps the trauma of local turf wars is one reason why more than three-quarters of C+D readers have considered quitting their job over the past year.
The poll was run in advance of the C+D Salary Survey 2016, launched this week to once again uncover the truth about pay and working conditions in community pharmacy.
The results are always some of the most sought-after C+D reads but it really is a case of only getting out what you put in – we can’t do it without you, so please complete the survey at surveymonkey.com/r/salary-survey-2016.
Jennifer Richardson is editor of C+D. Email her at [email protected] or contact her on Twitter at @CandDJennifer
How willl your approach your GP?
We want to hear your views, but please express them in the spirit of a constructive, professional debate. For more information about what this means, please click here to see our community principles and information
