IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THERE IS MEANINGFUL AND ROBUST PHARMACY WORKFORCE PLANNING IN PLACE
2021, alongside the NHS Recovery plan indicates there is no sign of slowing the progress in the pharmacotherapy element of the GMS contract for at least the next two years.
‘The community pharmacy network is absolutely committed to the NHS Recovery plan. However, the current approach to recruitment will ultimately be detrimental to the joint ScotGov/CPS ambitions for the community pharmacy network which are outlined in the Recovery plan and Achieving Excellence in Pharmaceutical Care.
‘With that in mind, we also call on political decision makers, healthcare partners and Health Board colleagues to be prepared to support the community pharmacy network in other ways to allow them to continue to support patients in their vital role in the heart of communities. Calls for appropriate workforce planning should be happening as a minimum at this time, with priority placed on roles that are critical to patient wellbeing and timely access to services.
‘Without a change in policy, the unnecessary strain being placed on teams in the coming months and years through this ongoing recruitment will undoubtedly worsen. CPS would always be interested in working with partners, within Health Boards, ScotGov and the wider primary care team, to see how we can maximise the skills of the pharmacy network but we must be part of discussions and solutions to minimize impact on patients.’
Responding to the CPS statement, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Scotland also voiced its concerns, but rejected the idea of stopping the recruitment of pharmacists as PBPs.
‘Pharmacy professionals should be involved wherever there are medicines: this includes community pharmacies, hospitals and GP practices,’ said Andrew Carruthers, Chair of the Scottish Pharmacy Board. ‘Ensuring patients have access to pharmacists in all settings is an important part of delivering safe and effective care.
‘We disagree with stopping the recruitment of pharmacy professionals in GP practices because we do not want to see restrictions on individuals’ career choices. Many pharmacists have benefited and continue to benefit from working in multiple settings, and they should be supported to make choices that support their professional development aspirations.
‘However, we do think it is essential that there is meaningful and robust pharmacy workforce planning in place which takes into account all sectors, skill mix requirements, and workforce changes resulting from new services and digital improvements. We also need better use of pharmacy teams, better skill mix and better use of technology to help reduce the wider issues and pressures that are impacting on NHS services. It is also important to promote pharmacy as a career to bring more people into the profession.’
‘The issue of workforce is one now that is at the forefront of our discussions and thinking with Scottish Government,’ concluded Matt Barclay, Director of Operations at CPS. ‘We have also engaged with other stakeholders in recent weeks on the issue, including our own members. Workforce challenges are making headlines across a number of professions and sectors so maintaining the balance between being able to provide safe, valued services in the right environment to the public and having the workforce to do it is important.’
THE ISSUE OF WORKFORCE IS ONE NOW THAT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR DISCUSSIONS AND THINKING WITH SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
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