Government has today revealed more of its plan to get 1,500 more clinical pharmacists based in GP surgery buildings by 2021.
The Department of Health says 700 more practices in England will have a pharmacist working in their surgery within the next four years – helping to free up GP time and support the move to bring primary care services more closely together.
Our Property Director, Andrew Darke, says: “Pharmacy space has become an integral part of every new development we lead and it’s one of the most in-demand expansion features for our tenants in existing surgery and primary care buildings.
“GPs tell us that having a pharmacist physically located in the surgery building makes a real difference to the demands on their time and in making pharmacy an integral part of the practice – focusing on essentials such as medicine use reviews and monitoring patients with long-term conditions.
“However, doctors need the right space in their premises to accommodate pharmacy well. With so many primary care buildings still struggling for space and access, it’s never been more important to be looking at whether the buildings in which most NHS contact with patients takes place are actually fit for the job.”
More than 40% of Assura properties currently have a pharmacy in their building and we continually work with our GP tenants and their pharmacist partners on innovative ways to increase that number.