PHARMACISTS will now be available at Berkshire's GP surgeries, thanks to the expansion of a national scheme. 

NHS England has announced that patients in South Reading, Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead, and Wokingham will benefit from having pharmacists located at GP surgeries in these areas.

This news follows an initial roll-out of the national scheme in 2016 in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, and will see over 700 more GP practices in England benefit from having a pharmacist located in their GP surgery.

This is in addition to 4 existing pilot schemes in the three counties of Thames Valley where clinical pharmacists are already working in 29 local GP practices to support over 304,000 patients as part of the NHS England programme.

Clinical pharmacists work as part of the general practice team by providing expertise for day-to-day medicine issues and consultations with patients directly.

This includes providing extra support to help patients manage their long-term conditions, such as high blood pressure, earlier and more effectively to prevent cardiovascular disease; advice for patients on taking multiple medications; and offering better access to health checks. This all delivers quicker access to clinical advice for patients and allows GPs to spend time with patients who have more complex needs.

Welcoming the plans for clinical pharmacists to support patient care in Wiltshire, Debra Elliott, Director of Commissioning in the South Central area said: “Having a clinical pharmacist in GP practices means GPs can focus their skills where they are most needed, for example on diagnosing and treating patients with complex conditions. This helps GPs manage the demands on their time and ensures patients see the health professional that best suits their needs.”