The Primary Care Pharmacists’ Association (PCPA) has produced a guide to advise GPs on “what to look for” when employing a pharmacist.

The PCPA published the document yesterday (August 25) in response to requests from “many GPs asking for help, guidance and support” in employing a practice pharmacist, said Ravi Sharma, chair of the PCPA's practice pharmacist group.

The document – which the PCPA said has been endorsed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Royal College of General Practitioners – includes tips on how to recruit pharmacists, how to decide whether they should be a permanent member of staff or a locum, and template job adverts.

The PCPA advised GPs that pharmacists who have no previous experience in general practice will require training in the use of surgery computer systems, managing the practice’s repeat prescribing system, the QOF, clinical coding and information governance.

Typical day for a practice pharmacist

The document also oultines a “typical day” for a practice pharmacist, which begins with dealing with repeat prescriptions and sorting medicines-related problems at 8am, and finishes at 5pm after a clinic session.

Pharmacists could also spend their day screening patients for long-term conditions and conducting medicine use reviews, the PCPA said.

Medicines optimisation service provider the Prescribing Support Service estimated that employing a locum pharmacist will cost a practice around £40 per hour, compared to around £100 per hour for a locum GP, the PCPA said.

Mr Sharma, who is also lead practice pharmacist for service provider DMC Healthcare, said employing pharmacists in his practices has "improved patient health outcomes and delivered higher quality care".

The PCPA reported last month that more than 120 pharmacists had joined its group for those interested in working in a GP practice. 

The PCPA set up the group in March, when the Royal Pharmaceutical Society first announced plans for GP practices to employ an “army” of pharmacists. NHS England committed £15 million last month to partially fund 250 clinical pharmacists in practices for three years. 

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