General practice and community pharmacy leadership learn

General practice and community pharmacy leadership learn about the Ministry of Health’s plans for an integrated future

Last week the Ministry of Health presented the draft New Zealand Health Strategy and the Draft Pharmacy Action Plan to the combined General Practice Leaders Forum (GPLF) and Community Pharmacy Leaders Forum (CPLF).

Both strategic documents give a clear indication that the Ministry intends to focus on strengthening integration within the health sector and it was of benefit to have general practice and community pharmacy leaders present to discuss the implications and implementation of the Ministry’s aspirational goals.

In discussion following the presentation, Dr Tim Malloy, Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners President, said “For primary care to be able to fully deliver on the aspirations of the Ministry, it was agreed hump funding will be essential.”

Ken Orr, Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand President, and Chair of CPLF said “IT is a key enabler for integration and both general practice and community pharmacy are realistic that the IT required to deliver what the Ministry is hoping to achieve will not be established for a number of years.”

Both leadership groups were in agreement that the most important enablers for a future health care system based on integration and collaboration is the development of IT as well as relationships at grass root levels. IT development will support the prescriber pharmacist relationship by focusing on patient need and enable health care providers to remove some of the obstacles created by funding silos for the benefit of patients and communities.

Going forward, GPLF and CPLF are looking to work collaboratively on an implementation plan to give effect to key aspects of the Draft Pharmacy Action Plan.

ENDS

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