News

16 September 2005
EPF Round Table debate on "Challenges & Opportunities for Pharmacy"

The European Pharmacists Forum (EPF) held a round table discussion this week in London on the theme of "Challenges & Opportunities facing Pharmacy". The Round Table was organised alongside the third seminar of the EPF in 2005. The first two seminars were held in Paris and Amsterdam, and a further meeting is to be held on 30 November - 1 December in Rome.

Debate focused on how pharmacists are coping following the introduction of the new pharmacy contract in the UK, in particular the importance of pharmacists making use of the national guidelines and adapting them to local conditions. It was also felt that pharmacists should work alongside other local pharmacists to develop better relationships with local Primary Care Trusts and GP's, so as to find the best solutions for patients. It was also felt that pharmacists should change their culture and become more proactive in order to successfully take on the current challenges they are facing. Pharmacists needed to move away from focusing on their traditional dispensing role and make best use of the skill mix within their pharmacies to ensure they can offer all the necessary services within the new pharmacy contract.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of pharmacists sharing best practice across Europe and learning from each other. Although all European pharmacists have to meet national standards, there could be no blanket solutions as local differences needed to be taken into account.

Round Table participants included Elvire Kuyck (President of the European Pharmacists Forum), Ornella Barra (Executive Director of Alliance UniChem), Giancarlo Visini (Vice-President of the EPF), Mike Smith (non-Executive Chairman, UniChem), John D'Arcy (Chief Executive, National Pharmacy Association), Graham Philips (Council Member, Royal Pharmaceutical Society), Barry Andrews (Chairman, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, and non-Executive Chairman, Alliance Pharmacy), and Dr John Chisholm, a practising GP, as well as Steve Duncan (Executive Director, Alliance UniChem), and David Coles (Managing Director, UniChem). The Round Table was moderated by Ken Aston of Carlson Marketing Group. A large number of pharmacists and journalists attended the event.

The EPF London seminar itself focused on developments in the UK pharmacy sector and featured a keynote speech from Andrew Witty (President, Pharmaceuticals Europe, GlaxoSmithKline) on manufacturers' views of the healthcare market.

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