E-DRUG: Pharmacy Drivers (cont)
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My points seem to have been misunderstood. Let be try to clarify.
It is very helpful to have all those remarks regrading the evidence that
pharmacists do in fact add value. I'm sure all those who are battling for
the 'place of pharmacy' in the healthcare chain will find that useful.
However that wasn't my main concern.
My points were about 'pharmacy drivers'. The issue is that we may have
introduced a cadre of additional staff, who take on a range of duties, at
varying degrees of intensity, but we do not know how well they perform this
task. Nor do have clear measures of there activity.
Foppe has previously acknowledged that research in this area would be a
good idea. I was supporting that, not trying to introduce another
dimension to the debate. Recognising that pharmaceutical care is provided
not only by pharmacists, but by other members of the healthcare team
(including assistant pharmacy staff), it is important to ensure the quality
of those processes in exactly the same way as we have to ensure the quality
of a manufactured item. If any stage of the process goes wrong, we can
spoil the product.
Tim Dodd
Training Advisor, Ghana National Drug Programme
Email: Cath_and_Tim_Dodd@compuserve.com
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