Which? Pharmacy Investigation
September 29, 2008 at 12:35 pm | In Prescribing Extra - Other |
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Which? has published a report detailing findings of an investigation that sent undercover investigators into 101 pharmacies across the UK.
This study has been reported in the general media (BBC) because advice was described as unsatisfactory in a third of all encounters.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has responded noting that improvements have been made since the last Which? investigation in 2004, in particular the availability of private consultation areas, the supply of Emergency Hormonal Contraception and provision of Medicine Use Reviews. It is also stated that the full report will be analysed and the Society will work with the profession to address areas for improvement.
Action: Clinicians and the general public can be assured that pharmacies still offer high quality advice and are committed to continually improving standards and training.
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As a community pharmacist and avid reader of prescriber.org.uk, I too was disappointed with the Which? report. On closer, inspection of the report it is apparent that the advice in question was mostly from pharmacy “staff” and not pharmacists, although we are still overall accountable for anything which staff do and say. The headlines do not make this distinction and therefore, the confidence in pharmacists from both the public and fellow health professionals could be undermined.
Comment by R.K.Sharma — September 29, 2008 #