Future for Scottish healthcare revealed

20 September 2013

The future of healthcare in Scotland has been clearly defined in a new vision for the future, 'Prescription for Excellence', which has just been launched by the Scottish Government.

For some time now, Scottish healthcare has been targeted at the integrated delivery of models of care that are safe, effective and person centred, and which provide long-term sustainability. The vision for healthcare is that, by 2020, everyone in Scotland will be able to live longer, healthier lives at home, or in a homely setting, and so this new document focuses on the design of an environment in which pharmacists can easily engage with other health and social care professionals.

According to 'Prescription for Excellence', NHS Pharmaceutical Care in the community would not be reliant solely on delivery from a high street pharmacy. Instead, delivery would be facilitated through a distributed model from GP practices, the domiciliary setting or via remote consultations using models such as telehealth. It is also anticipated that pharmaceutical care provision by pharmacists should complement and support patients served by dispensing doctors.

By 2023, all pharmacists will be required to be NHS accredited clinical pharmacists, independent prescribers in order to provide clinical care to patients in the community. They will be referred to as general practice clinical pharmacists regardless of the setting in which they work. Read more here