Michelle Webster, the Improvement Foundation's National Commissioning Lead chaired a lively and highly interactive webcast focusing on the recently published Pharmacy White Paper, Pharmacy in England: building on strengths - delivering the future.

Speakers included Bill Sandhu, Head of Medicines Management at South West Essex PCT and Ash Pandya, an independent pharmacy consultant. Comment was also provided by Alistair Buxton, Head of NHS Services for the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), and Anurita Rohilla, Head of Medicines Management in the Epping Forest locality of West Essex PCT.

Right: Ash Pandya, Bill Sandhu, Anurita Rohilla, Michelle Webster and Alistair Buxton.

Getting to Grips with Moving Forward

Does the White Paper provide the answers to all the questions? Not necessarily, according to Ash Pandya, who argued that it needs to be used in conjunction with local discussions to move the agenda forward.

Communications are at the heart of the plans in Essex; work is being done with the PCT communications team to ensure that the messages given are consistent. Full and consistent engagement with other healthcare professionals, in addition to patients and member of public, is also being implemented.

Some of the local recommendations that have emerged from recent consultations include developing pharmacies as Healthy Living Centres, developing a clinical focus for service delivery, creating greater integration into local health plans, and providing better support for patients with their medicines. Ash also discussed the requirement for a NVQ Level 3 for Medical Counter Assistants to take forward the public health agenda.

Local Implementation Strategy

Bill Sandhu shared details of South West Essex's implementation approach stating that the White Paper had been used as a blue print for local action. Several innovations and pilots are currently in operation and more are in the pipeline.

The main advice from Bill was to build trust between pharmacy and primary care; good ‘grass-root' relationships being the element that will make the difference in moving forward. Importantly, the needs of the workforce now and in the future need to be assessed.

Current Developments

Alistair Buxton commented on current developments with the White Paper. Discussions between the Department of Health and NHS Employers are ongoing, and more guidance will follow at some point.

At a local level communication should be ongoing between PCTs, contractors, GPs, local authorities, patients and the public, MPs, and the local media. Pulling everything together into a local implementation plan is essential.

A Multifaceted Approach

A multifaceted approach is being adopted in the Epping Forest locality of West Essex PCT, according to Anurita Rohilla.

A multidisciplinary evening was arranged to allow stakeholders to create a better awareness of each other's roles, duties, responsibilities and aspirations. Bringing together pharmacists from the community and hospitals with GPs, social care representatives and health managers to take part in Who Wants to be a Millionaire and Test the Nation style quizzes, staff worked together to discuss the local issues, challenges and developments that were pertinent to them.

The debate and discussions between the speakers continued long after the 45 minute session had ended.

For further information on the webcast, and to download a copy, please click here or contact us.