EXCLUSIVE

Pharmacists can expect a “mixed” reaction from patients to the news that the sector will be able to access medical records in Wales, Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) has predicted.

Welsh pharmacists will get access to patient records as part of national common ailments scheme, which will be rolled out later this year.

CPW chief executive Russell Goodway acknowledged some patients may feel uneasy about pharmacists having access to their medical record.

But others he had talked to were “surprised” that pharmacists did not already have access.

“This is not access to the full medical record… it’s as much as the pharmacist will need to deal appropriately with a certain listed number of conditions,” Mr Goodway said in an exclusive interview with C+D last week (March 8).

CPW will work to “educate and inform” those who are unconvinced about pharmacist access to patient records, he said.

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