2253 patient complaints were made against pharmacists working in GP practices in the year ending March 2022 compared to 1521 the previous year. This, according to figures recently published by NHS Digital.
While the number of patient complaints against GP Pharmacists has risen consistently year on year, the complaints in the past year are double those recorded in 2016/17. This must be viewed in the context of a big rise in the number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in GP practices, which now stands at 4515. This should also be viewed against the backdrop of a 38% rise in complaints against GP practices in the last year.
Clearly the new roles that pharmacists are taking on can present challenges for pharmacists working in GP practices and pharmacist prescribers, in particular, need to be aware of, and to work within, their competence and scope of practice and to resist pressures that may be placed upon them both by their employers and by their working environment. They must always be able to justify the professional decisions they make.
The GPhC has highlighted examples on inappropriate prescribing for instance and had to take action, including referral to fitness to practice.
Community Pharmacists are familiar with working in Pharmacies, they recognise the areas of risk and the steps they need to take to avoid those risk and the appropriate actions necessary to mitigate harm when errors occur. Pharmacists working in GP surgeries may not have the same wealth of experience and knowledge of their role that community pharmacists have built up over the years. They will need to develop this and to mould their roles to ones in which they feel both competent and confident.
If you need help to carry out your risk assessments we have an experienced team at Pharmacy Consulting who can help you develop new skills.