The CCA was interviewed as part of the Tony Blair Institute’s (TBI) latest report which urges the creation of a ‘Digital Health Record’ (DHR) for every individual.
The report notes that currently an individual’s health and care data sits in silos across different providers, including community pharmacies. By bringing data together into a single record, a DHR will assist with the government’s objectives to reform the NHS to ensure it is more productive, deliver greater preventative healthcare, and prepare the NHS to unlock the benefits of AI.
The TBI state that a DHR could facilitate the “wider expansion of the Pharmacy First scheme, drawing on the skills and capacity in community pharmacies to deliver more screening, vaccination, chronic-condition management and acute care”. Their report also recommends launching “Protect Britain”, “a preventative vaccine and therapeutics programme reporting into the secretary of state for health and social care”.
Commenting, Dr Nick Thayer, Head of Policy at the Company Chemists’ Association, said:
“We’re delighted to have shaped this timely report by the Tony Blair Institute. A ‘Digital Health Record’ would ensure that health and care data is harnessed to ensure that patients are seen by the right person, at the right time, and in the right place.
Any DHR must include all parts of a patient journey and care. Community pharmacy care (and the data that supports that) is critical to a successful patient record. This would allow pharmacy teams appropriate access to wider NHS records, whilst ensuring the care they provide is available across the health system.
The report rightly states that a Digital Health Record could be key to expanding the Pharmacy First scheme. It also offers a way to draw upon community pharmacies to deliver even more first-line preventative care such as screening, vaccination, management of long-term conditions and acute care.
We urge the Government to closely examine these recommendations including the creation of Protect Britain. As part of this, community pharmacy has a key role to play in administering preventative vaccination programmes. The sector has a proven track record here and should, in time, become the natural home to administer all adult vaccinations.”