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2 November 2011
With GP funding under intense pressure, patient care will be adversely affected unless efficiencies are realised through more effective collaboration across primary care, the PSNC has said.
Health Minister Andrew Lansley, speaking to the National Association of Primary Care Annual Conference on the day The Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration publishes its Review for 2012, is expected to announce a range of change to GP remuneration. The headline figure is no pay increase for GPs; a 0.5% increase in funding, to cover small wage increases for low paid staff, and target 3.5% efficiencies.
PSNC Chief Executive Sue Sharpe said, “We all know that the financial climate is terrible, and all health professionals are suffering. We want to see GPs turning to pharmacies to help them provide care and support services and to realise efficiencies. PSNC is keen to work with NHS and GP colleagues to make this happen. The best care for patients can only happen if we all work closely together.”
The detail of the report will also reveal that GPs will no longer receive incentives in their Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for reducing costs by prescribing efficiently.
Commenting on this detail, PSNC Chief Executive Sue Sharpe added, “Driving down the costs of medicines for the NHS is one of the things community pharmacists can do more effectively than others. We really want the NHS and GPs bring community pharmacists on board so we can help them realise efficiencies in prescribing, and ensure patients receive the most effective medicines therapy.”
GP remuneration will, however, be linked to reductions in the use of Accident and Emergency services.
Sue Sharpe continued, “Open at evenings and weekends, pharmacies are ideally placed to reduce the pressure on A+E. GPs can now earn QOF points by encouraging patients with minor ailments and injuries to visit their pharmacist, particularly out of hours. It’s about educating and informing patients about the provision that is already out there and we will work with GP colleagues to use our skills and accessibility to best effect. All of these changes highlight the need for a realignment of the GP and pharmacy contracts so that pharmacies are properly used and rewarded in future. We are optimistic that we can work with other key stakeholders to bring about a fundamental shift in the role and contribution pharmacy makes to patient care.”
Additional changes include QOF incentives for helping patients with asthma or heart disease and helping patients to stop smoking.
PSNC Head of Pharmacy Practice Barbara Parsons said, “The New Medicine Service, targeted MURs and local stop smoking services can play a major role in helping GPs to achieve these target improvements. Collaboration with pharmacy is being built into GP’s remuneration, and the new QOF will incentivise GPs to refer patients to their local pharmacy.”