In the early days of the new Labour government the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting announced an urgent investigation of the NHS by Professor Lord Ara Darzi, a former health minister, a lifelong surgeon, and an independent peer. Lord Darzi previously led a comprehensive review of the NHS and published ‘High Quality Care for All’ in June 2008, which included recommendations around the freedom to focus on quality and putting frontline staff in control.
The current investigation is set to provide a ‘raw and honest assessment’ of issues facing health service and its findings will feed into the government’s 10-year plan to radically reform the nation’s health service.
The PDA chose to focus on two key policy areas for their submission; pharmacists, pharmacy and utilising the skills of workforce better within the NHS, and recommendations for an overhaul of both system and professional regulation.
The next 10-year plan for the NHS needs to have a much better focus on the safe and effective use of medicines. Afterall, with 13.5% of the annual NHS budget being spent on medicines, which after salaries is the second highest cost to the NHS, there has not been enough focus on the safe and effective use of these medicines. This can be evidenced by the levels of iatrogenic disease, as well as the increasing number of hospital admissions caused by adverse drug reactions. The PDA is keen to highlight the investigation of the role that pharmacists can play in ensuring better outcomes for patients and for the NHS by prioritising this critical area.
On system regulation, the PDA has long argued that the regulatory landscape for pharmacy and healthcare in general needs to be reformed. This should better incorporate and balance the regulation of individuals with that of premises, businesses, and non-registrant managers.
A recent review of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) led to the Health Secretary commenting that it was “not fit for purpose”. Wes Streeting has called for the publication of an interim report, so that action can “begin immediately to improve regulation and ensure transparency for patients.”
By looking at how the regulation of health and social care can be improved, through both structural and organisational changes, the PDA believes that there are more effective and efficient ways that the government could address current concerns, while better safeguarding the public.
The PDA will continue to seek opportunities to engage with the investigation, which is due to report back in September 2024.
Learn more
- Pharmacists must be enabled to deliver pharmaceutical care if the NHS is serious about addressing the issue of overprescribing
- PDA publishes innovative proposals around opportunities for post-Covid-19 pharmaceutical care
- Wider than Medicines
- PDA Road Map for England submitted to government
- Light touch regulation of pharmacy owners endangers pharmacy
- PDA calls for regulation of the business behaviours of pharmacy owners who damage the reputation of the profession
- Press Release: PDA calls for radical changes and improvements to pharmacy regulation
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