NHS England’s announcement of £15 million to fund 300 pharmacists in GP practices has prompted a cautiously positive reaction from the sector.

Pharmacists said the funding - which would be spent on installing one senior pharmacist and five clinical pharmacists in pilot sites across England - was a “positive” step. But it was important to consider its effects on the community pharmacist sector, they stressed.

Pharmacy Voice chief executive Rob Darracott said the initiative could reduce GPs’ workload and provide patients with more integrated care. But it was “vital that the remit” of these practice pharmacists was to “strengthen the link” between community pharmacy and GPs.

The commissioning body must not put “other important developments for community pharmacy on the back-burner” as a result of the pilot, he warned.

Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire chief executive Robbie Turner said the scheme was “positive” only if it was used "to link all areas of the profession around the patient”.

All-party pharmacy group (APPG) chair and Labour MP Kevin Barron agreed it was an “important initiative” and said the APPG was “keen to hear more about how pharmacists based in surgeries will interact with community pharmacy teams on the high street”.

“Anything that increases access to the expert advice of a pharmacist is a good thing, but we must also ensure there is clarity over roles and responsibilities so we don’t end up with local disputes over who does what,” he added.

Contractor Paul Mayberry said it was important to “evaluate the benefits of using a pharmacist in the surgery”.

"It’s a good move in that the NHS is recognising that pharmacists can make an immediate impact on costs,” Mr Mayberry added. “We know it shouldn't be a problem for pharmacists to deliver savings many times in excess of their salaries.”

Use sector for "better savings"

However, Kent contractor Amish Patel said NHS England could have made “better cost savings” by investing the £15m into community pharmacy. “The surgery across the road from me has employed a pharmacist for two years, but I don’t see the full benefit yet,” he told C+D.

“If every pharmacy was paid £2 for a minor ailments consultation, that’s 50 GP appointments saved a month,” he added.

Community pharmacist M Yang pointed out that the £15 million allocation to fund 300 clinical pharmacists in England was less than the £16 million the Scottish government had pledged last month to train 140 pharmacist prescribers. “Something’s not quite right here,” they said.

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