EXCLUSIVE

Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) hopes the manifestos of both the country's pharmacy bodies will put the sector at the "heart" of government policy.

CPS director of operations Matt Barclay told C+D he is pleased RPS Scotland's manifesto, published last week (January 20), echoes many aspects of CPS's own manifesto from September. Both documents include calls for pharmacists to have access to patient records and remodel the national minor ailments service, Mr Barclay said.

CPS will work alongside RPS Scotland to "influence policy makers" and ensure pharmacists are included in any government plans for the NHS formulated after the Scottish parliamentary elections in May.

RPS manifesto

RPS Scotland used its manifesto to call for the government to review the country's community pharmacy contract "in tandem" with the GP contract.

It also called for a dedicated pharmacist role to be integrate into care home, and for each care homes to be aligned with one community pharmacy and one general practice to provide a "building block for change" to patient care.

"Health literacy" should be taught from a young age so the public gain an understanding of medicines and the role of pharmacists, it said.

An increase in the number of accuracy checking technicians and pharmacy technicians is needed to enable pharmacists to play a more "patient-facing" role, RPS Scotland said.

RPS Scottish Pharmacy Board chair John McAnaw said the initiatives outlined in the manifesto will “make a real difference” to patient care by “supporting self-management”.

What do you think of RPS Scotland's manifesto?

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