Strategic level pharmacists in primary care activity,training and development needs

摘要

Over the past decade there have been major structural changes in primary care within the NHS.Fundholding practices were replaced by primary care groups in 1999 and these were subsequently reorganised into primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2002,with responsibility for performance management moving to the new strategic health authorities (SHAs).This has been accompanied by a shift in responsibility for the management of the prescribing budget.The progressive devolution ot operational power and resources to primary care organisations,combined with the emphasis now on medicines management,represents a significant and increasing challenge for PCTs.As the primary care organisations in England,PCTs are required to identify and address local health needs,and in the context of medicines and pharma'cy,to meet national targets relating to prescribing and medicines use.Pressures on prescribing resources have intensified in recent years,with annual rises in the drugs bill far outstripping inflation.