General practitioners have been under pressure to prescribe cost-effectively within defined budgets since the introduction of primary care groups, there is an even greater incentive for GPs to manage their drug spending efficiently, since any savings made to the drug budget can be transferred to tothe health care services. Providing feedback to general practitioners on their prescribing has been shown to be an effective method of reducig the cost of drug prescribing and of improving pharma-cotherapy.~2 Many GPs are now seeking the help of pharmacists to provide advice on their prescribing patterns and to guide them towards safer, more effective and more econ-nomical prescribing. The integration of pharmacists into the primary care team is part of a national move to improve patient care throungh the development of community and primary care services.~3
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