NHS England’s plans for expanded primary care practices are an “exciting opportunity” to give pharmacy a bigger role, health organisations have told C+D.

The multispeciality community provider (MCP) model, set out in NHS England’s Five Year Forward View document last year, will involve pharmacists working alongside GPs and other healthcare professionals to take over the management of most outpatient consultations from hospitals.

Organisations have until February 2 to express their interest in the model, and the commissioning body would begin investing in the organisations from this year, it said.

NHS England would not confirm which sites had already expressed interest in the model, but C+D is aware of two areas that are considering it.

Robert Flack, chief executive of Locala, a social enterprise based in Kirklees, told C+D it had submitted an expression of interest this week and community pharmacy would be a “critical” part of its plans.

The organisation has developed its expression of interest alongside South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust, and plans to have pharmacists working in the same building as GPs. The model would also require pharmacists to have better connections with community matrons and district nurses, Mr Flack added.

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust also told C+D it was planning to submit an expression of interest, which would involve pharmacists working “alongside or as part of” MCPs.

The trust’s chief executive Katrina Percy said MCPs would require pharmacists to take more responsibility for minor ailments and work with other healthcare providers to support patients with “complex medical regimes”.

“Community pharmacy is a key part of any local health economy and pharmacists have very much led the way on the healthy living agenda. Following our expression of interest, we look forward to engaging with community pharmacy as our plans take shape,” she told C+D.

Kent Community Health NHS Trust told C+D it was open to the MCP model. Chief executive Marion Dinwoodie, who trained as a pharmacist, said she had not formed “specific plans” yet but was “enthusiastic to consider options for the future”.

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