EXCLUSIVE

One thousand community and hospital pharmacists in Scotland have received training to become independent prescribers, Scotland's chief pharmaceutical officer Rose Marie Parr has revealed.

The Scottish government is "quite far ahead" with its plans to turn the entire pharmacist workforce into prescribers by 2023, Ms Parr told C+D on Tuesday (September 8). 

The government has “pump primed” pharmacist education in relevant areas – such as consultation skills and common clinical conditions – and ensured this is being delivered across pharmacy schools, said Ms Parr, who assumed the role of chief pharmaceutical officer in April.

“That is the type of pharmacist we want to see going forward in the future. It will be a long-term, sustainable change,” she said.

The government is keen for the 140 pharmacists being placed in GP surgeries as part of a £16 million government scheme to be prescribers, Ms Marie Parr stressed. The government has contacted the directors of each Scottish pharmacy board about this scheme, and has given them funding to develop these pharmacist roles.

It will also issue guidance about what GPs should look for when recruiting these pharmacists and will “support the GP model as it goes forward”, she added.

Last month, Scottish health secretary Shona Robison suggested that pharmacists could work alongside GPs and nurses in "community health hubs", as part of an overhaul of primary care in Scotland.

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