Community pharmacists who are independent prescribers are a ‘huge asset’ to the healthcare system, according to Jeremy Miles, the Welsh Labour Co-op MP serving as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.
Miles’s response in parliament came after Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Jane Dodds asserted how she felt independent prescribers in community pharmacies has ‘fantastic skills’ but this was not promoted by the government.
“There's a huge asset in our healthcare system, and we are seeing it making a difference. But as your question implies, there is obviously more that we can anticipate that independent prescribers can do, and they are very, very keen to be able to do that,” said Miles.
“I was speaking at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society conference in Cardiff last week, and the theme there was very much in this space—about how much more potential there is, in all kinds of settings, actually, but in this context, perhaps most importantly, community settings.”
According to data from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), one in three pharmacists in Great Britain are now independent prescribers.
In Wales, the number of pharmacists with an IP annotation was 44 per cent, which is higher in comparison to England where the number stands at 32 per cent but lower than Scotland where nearly half (48 per cent) of pharmacists are prescribers.
“There is more that we can do nationally, and, indeed, the Help Us Help You campaign this year will have a particular focus on promoting pharmacies, so that people know they are available there for everybody and that the common ailments arrangements are a particularly good place to go there for,” said Miles.
