RPS to develop a joint vision for pharmacy in England with the King’s Fund

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has joined forces with the King’s Fund, a think tank that aims to improve health and care services, to develop a new ten-year vision for pharmacy in England.

Following a consultation process, which will begin in May 2022, the two bodies say they plan to develop proposals on how personalised care can improve patient experience and outcomes; reduce health inequalities; better integrate pharmacy into the wider healthcare system; and build a sustainable workforce for the future.

In a statement released as part of the vision’s launch on 20 April 2022, the RPS said: “As the government and NHS look ahead to supporting the recovery from the pandemic, the pressures on the health and care workforces remain.

“There is an urgent need to address the backlog of care that can only be achieved by new ways of working.”

Thorrun Govind, chair of the RPS English Pharmacy Board, said: “NHS reforms — along with an unprecedented era of economic, demographic and technological change — present both challenges and opportunities for the pharmacy profession.

“Now is the moment to seize the initiative and set out a new professional vision that builds on the extraordinary work of pharmacy teams during the pandemic and reflects the new ways of working in multidisciplinary teams across systems to improve patient care.”

Consultation activities will begin on 16 May 2022 with a webinar, which will introduce the vision and explain how pharmacy teams can get involved.

Read more: RPS Scotland sets out vision of pharmacy in 2030