DAUK GP co-lead Dr Steve Taylor has represented the organisation at two major national conferences and helped strengthen relationships between general practice and community pharmacy leaders.
Speaking at events organised by the Independent Pharmacies Association and publisher Cogora, Dr Taylor highlighted the need for greater collaboration across primary care professions.
He used the platforms to argue for a more joined-up approach to funding and service delivery.
The first event, hosted by the Independent Pharmacies Association at The Belfry, brought together pharmacy leaders from across the country.
Primary care funding
Dr Taylor was invited to speak on the GP contract and the wider challenges facing primary care funding.
His presentation focused on the long-term decline in investment across primary care, including general practice and community pharmacy, and the need for the professions to work together to secure a greater share of NHS funding.
Dr Taylor said: “Primary care includes GPs, pharmacists, dentists and optometrists.
“Rather than competing with one another, we need to be making a collective case for greater investment in the services that provide the vast majority of patient contacts in the NHS.”
Networking
Dr Taylor said the session was well received, with many delegates approaching him afterwards to discuss the issues raised.
The event also provided valuable networking opportunities, including discussions with senior pharmacy leaders and representatives from across the healthcare sector.
The second event was the Community Pharmacy and General Practice Conference.
The conference was organised by Cogora, the publisher of Pulse and The Pharmacist, and the National Pharmacy Association
It brought together community pharmacy and general practice professionals at the National Conference Centre near the NEC.
Improving vaccine uptake
Dr Taylor delivered a presentation on immunisation programmes and the shared responsibilities of GPs and pharmacists in improving vaccine uptake.
A central theme of his talk was the need to move beyond competition and focus on unvaccinated people.
He said: “We shouldn’t be squabbling over the 70 per cent of people who are already willing to be vaccinated, we should be developing a joint strategy to reach the 30 per cent who aren’t.”
Dr Taylor’s comments were included in a blog by Pulse editor Sofia Lind on how the current funding arrangements can unintentionally encourage competition between GPs and pharmacists, when greater cooperation would serve patients better.
Alongside his presentation, Dr Taylor co-hosted the conference’s Hall of Heroes session with healthcare leader Tara Humphrey.
Collaboration and innovation
This session celebrated examples of successful collaboration and innovation in community pharmacy. He also participated in the conference’s closing plenary discussion.
Dr Taylor said the conferences provided an opportunity to build stronger relationships between general practice and pharmacy.
He said: “Primary care is vital in preventing illness and hospital admissions.
“The right drift of funding has seen secondary care funding increased while primary care has seen cuts over the past decades, particularly the past 10 years.
Ten Year Plan
“Many health plans have come and gone promising a shift to community care. All have failed and the Ten Year Plan seems to be the latest iteration.
“Investing in existing community neighbourhood centres, GP practices and pharmacies, seems to be a simpler solution for genuine community care.
“The government needs to rethink its strategy.”
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