Sigma Conference: "Pharmacists need greater role in integrated care boards," says CPE representative

Pharmacists need to be a part of integrated care boards (ICB) to stop GPs from monopolising services based on their needs rather than the needs of the patient, according to Prakash Patel, Community Pharmacy Engaland (CPE) representative for North London.

“The evolution of the NHS should mean there can be no decision of pharmacy without pharmacist,” Patel told delegates at the Sigma Pharmacy Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan on Tuesday.

“At the moment, on every integrated care board, you've got a GP panel but you've got no sign for a pharmacist Pharmacists- they are called in as and when they're required.

“Community pharmacy needs to be a part of the primary care, they need to be at the table of the integrated care boards. They need to be at the table of the integrated neighborhood teams and that should become the norm.”

On Monday, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer told delegates that the government was keen for pharmacies play a key role in enabling the shift from hospital to community and from treatment to prevention which would result in a greater focus on independent prescribing and more clinical services for the sector.

“We are expanding their role (community pharmacists) by accelerating the rollout of independent prescribing to support this plan.”

Patel, however, warned there needs to be radical revamp on how ICBs commissioned local services.

“GPs are (currently) able to root the service according to their needs and that is not how it should be. The the services should be rooted according to patient care and what the patient needs - not what a particular profession needs,” said Patel.

“When the patient has countlessly said community pharmacy is the number one profession to provide care on the high street why are we being excluded from that table of negotiations?”