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TRANSFORMATION


RatIONalISatION Of hOSPItalS? the inevitable question of rationalisation of hospitals was also addressed, with the report concluding that ‘the current configuration of acute services is simply not sustainable in the short to medium term’.


Rather than getting into the ‘which hospital should be closed’ debate, however, the panel decided instead to advocate instead that it ‘will be necessary to reorganise services in such a way that resources are freed up from some part of the existing model in order to allow them to be used for implementing new models that will offer higher value care.


‘Very specialist services can be based anywhere in Northern Ireland,’ the report concluded. ‘In the face of increased specialisation and ever rising demand, it is not practical or desirable to try to deliver specialist services everywhere. however, it is true that specialist services could be delivered anywhere. any acute hospital in Northern Ireland has the potential to become a regional centre.’


'health and social care systems across the developed world are currently struggling with the question of how to adapt their services to deal with continuously rising and changing patterns of demand,' Professor Rafael Bengoa said at the launch of the report.


'I and my colleagues on the Panel believe that the hSc system faces a stark choice. It can either resist change and see services deteriorate to the point of collapse over time, or embrace transformation and work to create a modern sustainable service that is properly equipped to help people stay as healthy as possible and to provide them with the right type of care when they need it.


'we have tried to produce a report that will make a practical contribution to implementing change and which will support the minister’s ambitious, and wholly necessary, roadmap to reform. transformation will not be simple, but the Panel has no doubt that Northern Ireland has both the people and the energy to deliver a world class health and care system.' •


REactION fROm thE PROVINcE'S PROfESSIONal BOdIES:


clIff mcElhINNEy, PRESIdENt, UlStER chEmIStS' aSSOcIatION Building on the Bengoa Report, Systems Not Structures, we are encouraged that the minister’s Vision for transforming NhS systems in Northern Ireland puts an emphasis on public health, prevention and integrated working to ensure that patients receive optimal care and support. community pharmacy is well placed to help the minister realise those goals.


the minister has promised radical change whilst, at the same time, supporting staff to deliver better patient outcomes, so we expect to see the minister introducing the innovative, integrated solutions that Integrated care Partnerships and partnership working with the Voluntary and community Sector have to offer. we welcome the commitment to the roll out of access to the Electronic care Records and it is vital that community pharmacists play a full role in the new multidisciplinary health teams announced by the minister. the strategy provides opportunities for community pharmacy to expand its role and to contribute to improving outcomes for patients and we look forward to seeing this reflected in the new pharmacy contract under negotiation.


Uca is encouraged that a multi-disciplinary and community care approach is a continuing theme throughout the document. Uca has supported the excellent work coming through from Integrated care Partnerships in recent years, as well as partnership working with the community sector in organisations such as Pact and mEaaP which recently attracted funding from the dunhill medical trust to offer care and support solutions to older people in the mid and East antrim area. community pharmacy is an essential element of the service, ensuring our older population receive the best care possible to suit their individual needs.


the Uca is looking forward to working with the minister, her department and other pharmacy bodies throughout this engagement process to help make the minister’s vision a reality.


“thE StRatEgy PROVIdES OPPORtUNItIES fOR cOmmUNIty PhaRmacy tO ExPaNd ItS ROlE aNd tO cONtRIBUtE tO ImPROVINg OUtcOmES fOR PatIENtS aNd wE lOOk fORwaRd tO SEEINg thIS REflEctEd IN thE NEw PhaRmacy cONtRact UNdER NEgOtIatION”


gERaRd gREENE, chaIR, cOmmUNIty PhaRmacy NORthERN IRElaNd we welcome that within the vision outlined, the health minister has specifically recognised community pharmacy as being an important part of primary care which can help to reduce pressure on other parts of the hSc.


actions such as the roll-out of the NIEcR will allow community pharmacists to improve the support, advice and treatment they provide, enabling the patients to benefit from immediate decisions based on accurate information in a convenient location.


with unrivalled access, community pharmacy is well placed to innovate and adapt to the specific needs of the local community, allowing the profession to play an integral part in the population based health approach outlined today.


we are committed to playing our part to help achieve the goals set out in this document and we look forward to meeting with the minister to discuss ways, including the development of a new community pharmacy contract, which will help to deliver her vision for the future of hSc.


ShEElIN mckEagNEy, chaIR Of thE PhaRmacy fORUm NI this is a good start in addressing the long-term issues affecting our health and Social care System.


there are opportunities for all healthcare professionals and in particular pharmacists to help change how we deliver care. It has been well documented that we must shift the current emphasis on acute and episodic care towards prevention, self-care and integrated and co- ordinated care to cope with an ageing population and increased prevalence of chronic diseases.


Pharmacists already play key roles in both primary and secondary care, through the medicines Optimisation, Quality framework and the 'making it Better through Pharmacy in the community' Strategy, by keeping people healthy and reducing the burden on the acute care.


It is, therefore, pleasing to see the role of pharmacy included and expanded in these current recommendations, including the roll-out of community pharmacists’ access to the Electronic care Records and the new framework for community pharmacy services.


PhaRmacy IN fOcUS - 9


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