Pharmacist

[jennyjoan]

About two years ago I was referred to the "pharmacist in my surgery" for a "talk".

I honestly do not know what this pharmacist does apart from talking.

if we want medicine then it is the GP or receptionist who doles the prescription.

No, he doesn't belong to the pharmacy "next door" etc.

Anybody know exactly what this guy does in the surgery. Thanks

[jennyjoan]

well Ummmm - would you know what purpose he has sitting in the actual surgery.

About two weeks ago I had to pick up a prescription and there he was walking through the surgery to go upstairs and said "hello" to the receptionist.

I can't for the life of me understand why he is there and not in his natural habitat - Chemist/Pharmacy.

[Mamyalynne]

If your surgery has a website, he and his title should be listed on it - if not contact the practice manager.

[EDDIE51]

The Pharmacist you mention will have full access to your medical records and will have been briefed by your GP on your history and medication.
So far from being a little conceited 'barsteward' who does not know anything he actually knows as much about you as your doctor does. He also is a specialist in medication and the possible interactions between your various drugs, so in this respect he knows more than the doctor!
Doctors specialize in diagnosis and treatment of the patient. They can not know as much about the actual actions/ interactions of specific drugs as a Pharmacist does.
A Pharmacist follows a long hard training procedure just as a Doctor does. They will graduate with a degree in Pharmacy where a doctor graduates with a degree in medicine.
The problem is that a majority of people think , as you seem to, that a Pharmacist just hands over the medicine that a doctor has prescribed.
The person who does that is just a sales assistant with a bit of extra training in dispensing drugs. A fully qualified pharmacist works with a doctor to the benefit of the patient, the two roles combine to give a better view of the whole medical situation.

[jennyjoan]

had a look there - he is listed Mr xxxxx (Pharmacist)

[jennyjoan]

ok Eddie - accept your post and thanks for that but still withall - why isn't he in his own pharmacy

[EDDIE51]

To put it in a more understandable way, a doctor has to keep up with the latest advances in treatments and medical procedures. A pharmacist has to keep up with the latest developments in drugs and look for counter indications with current drugs. Where 10 or 20 years ago a doctor could keep up with both sides of the picture now there is so much to keep up with that one person can not possibly do both. We are going to see Pharmacists in every surgery and in a few years will wonder how we could ever have managed without them.

[Mamyalynne]

Probably part of a new initiative similar to this...


https://www.england.nhs.uk/2015/07/pharm-supp-gp-surgeries/

[jennyjoan]

ok - thanks Eddie for the explanation

[EDDIE51]

Jennyjoan think of it this way. A few years back the idea of a 'practice nurse' in every surgery was unheard of, the doctor did it all.
Now a surgery that does not have at least one practice nurse would not be allowed to continue in business. It will go the same way with pharmacists.
In other countries Pharmacists actually see patients and prescribe most 'everyday' medication and the doctors only get to see the more complicated cases. Again a parallel with practice nurses in the UK.

[EDDIE51]

Certainly in my surgery the practice nurse is actually allowed to prescribe some basic items. Same at my hospital when I had suspected eplilexy

[EDDIE51]

Sorry hit submit too soon.
When I has suspected epilepsy, I saw a 'Nurse Practitioner' ( not a doctor) who was qualified to prescribe for my condition by being a specialist in epilepsy.
Similar things are happening in the doctors surgery!

[trt]

## Probably part of a new initiative similar to this...##

Thanks for that Mamya, I think that explains the letter I had.

[Mamyalynne]

Looks that way yes.

[Islay]

Our surgery employs a pharmacist to carry out medication reviews with the patients to free up the doctors.

Very successful and far easier than seeing the doctor.

[EcclesCake]

My surgery employs a Medication Manager who is a pharmacist. It allows medication reviews to ne undertaken by a qualified professional and free up time for the GPs to get on with diagnostic work. Works very well in my experience.

Can't really see why anyone would object to an improvement in patient care?

[hellywelly4]

As the mother of a pharmacist - I can assure you he is very qualified to discuss your drugs with you. Pharmacists often know much more about the interactions between drugs than the doctors do. It's certainly NOT the receptionist who doles out prescriptions!!!!

[jennyjoan]

thanks helly -

@Bathy - think most people know - LOL