The Doctors\u2019 Association UK\u2019s (DAUK) GP Lead says the Government\u2019s new Pharmacy First service will have minimal impact on improving access to general practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Lizzie Toberty said the Government should \u2018stop dancing around the edges\u2019 and provide proper funding to ease the crisis facing general practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Toberty said: \u201cWe welcome all the support we can get at this difficult time for general practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHowever, Pharmacy First will only help with a very small number of people, and we\u2019d be surprised if it had any real impact on improving access to your GP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe reality is that we are in dire need of support for patients in our communities with complex conditions who we are doing our best to look after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat we need is better funding, better buildings, and better IT infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith proper, sustained investment we\u2019d be able to provide the primary care service that the people of this country expect and deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019d encourage the Government to stop dancing around the edges and to improve the absolute minimal funding that primary care is receiving at the moment and is struggling to manage with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t provide quality care on a shoestring and need investment now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through the new service, pharmacists will be able to provide advice to patients and issue medicines for seven common conditions in sinusitis; sore throat; earache; infected insect bite; impetigo; shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Women will also be able to get the contraceptive pill from pharmacies without the need for a GP appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Steve Taylor, a GP based in Manchester and DAUK spokesperson, said the new Pharmacy First service highlighted significant disparities in funding between GPs and pharmacists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the new service, pharmacists will be paid \u00a31,000 a month, plus \u00a315 per consultation for providing 30 consultations a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Taylor said this equated to \u00a348 per consultation \u2013 more than double the \u00a323 per consultation that GPs currently receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPharmacists will be dealing with relatively minor issues that would take minutes for a GP to sort, but are being paid more than double per consultation than GPs currently receive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat can\u2019t be right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe funding formula for GPs has increased from \u00a3153 per head in 2015 to \u00a3163 now with no cap on the number of consultations we can do. It\u2019s a big cut in real terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPractices are doing 18 per cent more work in that time, so they\u2019re doing more work and doing it for less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s making it harder for general practices to be financially viable, which means that GPs can\u2019t afford to employ and recruit members of staff, which effectively reduces capacity, and is even causing some GPs to leave the profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt has to change, and we need the Government to act now.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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