Mounting pressure to cut medicines waste could herald closer collaboration between pharmacists and manufacturers in the reformed NHS, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (APBI) NHS partnership director Carol Blount has argued. Health chiefs at NHS England have earmarked medicines adherence as an "important priority", which could see pharmacists take on more work in this area, Ms Blount told C+D in an exclusive interview last week.   

ABPI's Carol Blount believes the drive to cut medicines waste will bring manufacturers and pharmacists closer together

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Ms Blount believes there will be an increase in collaborative projects between pharmacists and manufacturers to tackle adherence issues, now that the new NHS structure has come into force. "I think medicines optimisation is a really important priority and I think there will be more opportunity in this area for collaboration between industry and pharmacy," she argued. "In areas such as COPD, for example, I think you can look at how to improve care in the community and reduce emergency admissions."

And Ms Blount refuted arguments that the stronger emphasis on competition in the new NHS would stifle collaboration. She maintained that commercial conflicts would be no more of an issue than under the previous structure. "I think it's more likely that various parties will work together more efficiently, rather than there being more fragmentation," she told C+D. "The one common goal for all parties is improving healthcare outcomes, it's about how you can improve that and improve it most efficiently," Ms Blount argued. "I don't think there will be more [commercial] tension." Ms Blount is one of the many high-profile speakers with whom you can debate the implications of the NHS reforms at the C+D Summit next week on April 11. Book your place today