RPS seeks views on 'future of pharmacy practice'

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has been on the lookout for innovative ideas and suggestions that could transform the future of pharmacy practice in England over the next decade.

The society’s new project with the King’s Fund to transform the future of pharmacy practice in England is at a consultation phase, seeking views and opinions of pharmacy teams from all areas of practice including primary, secondary, social and community care to ensure that the system gets the best out of pharmacy and the public receives seamless, joined-up care.

“We want to build a vision that sets out the role of and value of pharmacists and pharmacy teams working across systems, providing patient care and NHS services,” said RPS in a statement.

“Transforming the future of pharmacy practice recognizes the urgent need to build on new ways of working established across health and care systems during the pandemic to meet the increasingly complex health needs of people and improve patient outcomes.”

The consultation will result in a vision that sets out how in the next 10 years the pharmacy profession can:

• Improve patient experience and health outcomes through personalized care
• Deliver best value from medicines for patients and the NHS
• Help prevent and reduce health inequalities
• Harness science, research, innovation and technology to improve treatments
• Integrate into the wider healthcare system
• Develop into the workforce of the future and contribute where deployment is needed

Chair of RPS in England Thorrun Govind said: “NHS reforms, along with an unprecedented era of economic, demographic, and technological change, present both challenges and opportunities for the pharmacy profession.

"Now is the moment to seize the initiative and set out a new professional vision that builds on the extraordinary work of pharmacy teams during the pandemic and reflects the new ways of working in multidisciplinary teams across systems to improve patient care.”

Chief executive of The King’s Fund Richard Murray said: “Health and care in England is facing a historic challenge. The difficult recovery from the pandemic and rising inequalities adds to the longstanding need to provide better, more joined-up and convenient services to patients and the public. In this context, the pharmacy profession has a great opportunity to improve health and health services as part of a wider move to more integrated care and this Vision aims to ensure this opportunity becomes a reality.”