“In 2015 the Department of Health made a five-year commitment to invest in a General Practice Pharmacist (GPP) service, introducing new roles for pharmacists to work alongside GPs. Full implementation of the service was achieved by 2020, and today every GP practice in Northern Ireland has a pharmacist working as an integral part of their clinical team. GP Federations employ the GPP workforce and provide the commissioned General Practice Pharmacist service on behalf of member GP practices.”

General Practice Pharmacists (GPPs) work within General Practice as an integral part of the primary care team.  GPPs have a well-defined role, however each GPPs specific duties and remit will vary from Practice to Practice according to priorities. GPPs overall will be involved in:

• Clinical Medical Review
• Medicines reconciliation of hospital letters/discharge information
• Medicine related queries from patients and healthcare professionals
• Prescription requests, queries, and re-authorisations
• Patient facing clinics e.g., long term conditions.
• Managing and monitoring high risk drugs
• Prescribing system review and improvement
• Clinical Audits
• Prescribing function.
• Long term condition / complex polypharmacy clinics.
• Management of high-risk medicines.
• Responding to Medicines Safety Alert.
• Review of Acute prescription requests.
• Training and Clinical education for HCP / practice staff.

GPPs have undertaken foundation training to transition into general practice from other sectors of pharmacy, the Independent Prescribing qualification, a range of Diplomas focusing on specific therapeutic areas and clinical workshops etc. The main focus of the GPP Project going forward will be further development of the role and workforce which is outlined in the GPP 2030 strategy document.