Unlocking the Potential of Pharmacist-Led Clinical Services to Reduce GP Workload, Optimise Patient Care, and Maximise Practice Space in Primary Care

Introduction

General Practitioners (GPs) are constantly striving to deliver excellent patient care while managing an ever-growing workload. Pharmacist-led clinical services can support Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in easing this burden by offering remote service delivery that focuses on specific clinical targets. This approach can help optimise patient care, free up time for GPs to concentrate on their core responsibilities, and make better use of precious practice space.

The Power of Remote Service Delivery

The implementation of remote pharmacist-led clinical services offers several benefits for both GPs and patients within PCNs:

1. Reducing GP workload: By allowing clinical pharmacists to manage specific clinical targets, GPs can focus on their core duties, leading to improved efficiency and overall patient care.
2. Enhancing patient outcomes: Clinical pharmacists have the expertise to optimise medication regimens, leading to better health outcomes for patients.
3. Improving PCN performance: Achieving clinical targets helps PCNs improve performance and secure additional funding.
4. Streamlining healthcare delivery: Remote service delivery reduces the need for face-to-face appointments, leading to a more efficient healthcare system.
5. Maximising practice space: Remote pharmacist-led clinical services free up precious space within the practice, allowing for better utilisation of available resources and a more comfortable environment for both patients and healthcare professionals.

A Case Study: Optimising Asthma Management with Clinical Pharmacists in Forest 8 PCN

Forest 8 Primary Care Network (PCN), serving 50,000 patients, experienced challenges in meeting their Impact & Investment Fund (IIF) targets for asthma management (RESP-01 and RESP-02). To address this issue, they sought the support of our clinical services to optimise asthma treatment.

Our clinical pharmacists were placed across eight GP surgery sites within Forest 8 PCN to support the achievement of RESP-01 and RESP-02 targets. Using clinical searches, they identified asthma patients who needed intervention and optimised their medication accordingly. Within a five-week period, our clinical pharmacists significantly improved the PCN's performance in both targets:

• RESP-01: Improved from 53.25% to 77%, indicating more patients on the QOF Asthma Register were regularly prescribed an inhaled corticosteroid over the previous 12 months.
• RESP-02: Improved from 16.73% to 13.75%, reflecting a reduction in patients on the QOF Asthma Register who received six or more SABA inhaler prescriptions over the previous 12 months.

This case study demonstrates the value of integrating remote clinical pharmacists into primary care teams to address specific clinical targets. Their expertise in optimising medication regimens not only led to better health outcomes for asthma patients but also showcased the potential for extending this approach to other chronic diseases managed within primary care settings.

Conclusion

Pharmacist-led clinical services offer a powerful solution to support Primary Care Networks in reducing GP workload, allowing them to focus on providing excellent patient care. The Forest 8 PCN case study highlights the potential of leveraging remote service delivery to achieve better health outcomes for patients and improve overall healthcare efficiency. By embracing this collaborative approach, we can create a more streamlined healthcare system that benefits both patients and healthcare professionals.