NEWS New guidance to support pharmacists accessing patient records
Updated guidance has been published to support pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Scotland, England and Wales who have access to patient electronic health records (EHRs).
‘Electronic Health Records (EHR): Guidance for Community Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians’ (March 2016) informs pharmacy professionals on key principles concerning the maintenance and use of EHRs of all types, including pharmacy Patient Medication Records, GP systems or national NHS electronic record services. It describes some of the issues associated with using EHRs in pharmacy professional practice and makes recommendations to pharmacy professionals concerning best practice use of EHRs to
support high quality practice and patient care.
As well as covering general principles about how EHRs should be kept, maintained and accessed, the guidance provides specifi c support to the national NHS electronic record services used in the devolved administrations, tailored to the initiatives in those countries.
The new guidance replaces the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s previous EHR guide for the
profession which was published in 2012.
Chair of the RPS led Pharmacy Information Management and Technology group, Sid Dajani said, “It is for a large part thanks to the RPS that all registered pharmacy professionals like myself, now have access to the Electronic Health Record in order to reduce medicine errors, improve medicines
adherence and deliver safe and more effective care to our patients.
“This guidance is an important tool for all pharmacists accessing patient records. The RPS believes patient record access, ideally read and write access, is vitally important to enable the profession to continue to transform the way we practice to improve patient outcomes and effi ciency.”
£6.6m funding for pharmacists
Stress levels, if not managed, can spiral out of control.
WE CAN HELP Wardley wellbeing service
Workshops, e-therapy programmes, webinars and factsheets
Listening Friends helpline Support for those who may benefit from talking things through with a pharmacist trained to listen and reflect
Pharmacist Support – the profession’s independent charity Call Listening Friends: 0808 168 5133 Call general enquiries: 0808 168 2233 Visit:
www.pharmacistsupport.org Email:
info@pharmacistsupport.org
Pharmacist Support is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales, company no 9237609 & charity no 1158974
working with GP practices The Scottish Government has advised that it has allocated its second tranche of funding for pharmacists working with GP practices from the Primary Care Fund.
On 25 June 2015, the Scottish Government announced that, over three years, £16.2m would be allocated to recruit up to 140 whole time equivalent additional pharmacists to work with PG practices. This second year of funding of £6.6m for 2016/17 has now been allocated to the Health Boards.
The money has been allocated on an NRAC basis weighted for smaller Board areas to ensure at least double the 2015/16 allocation. This is to allow recruitment of up to two whole time equivalent pharmacists in these areas.
Director for Scotland, Alex MacKinnon, said, "When the announcement of the three years
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of funding was made last year we warmly welcomed its inclusive approach ensuring that the skills set across all sectors would be utilised in improving patient care working with GP practices. I am pleased to see the funding now allocated for the second year and look forward to hearing more about the impact of this important service."
Boards will be expected to build on the plans already in place to recruit, or enter into arrangements with, pharmacists to work directly with GPs to deliver patient facing care. By year three these pharmacists will be trained to work as Pharmacist Independent Prescribers in line with the vision discussed in Prescription for Excellence, managing caseloads of patients with complex medicines needs, carrying out medicines reviews for a range of patients, and supporting the care of patients with long term conditions.
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