The practice of pharmacy in England
S Cronin
The practice of pharmacy in England is described. Community pharmacies have a contract with the Department of Health and Social Security to fill National Health Service prescriptions. A large proportion of the general public obtain their prescriptions free. Funding for the health service comes from taxes and automatic contributions from employers and employees. Aspects of hospital pharmacy practice and salaries are discussed, e.g., a junior pharmacist may expect to earn between $9000 and $12,000. There is very little unit-dose dispensing, and many hospitals are unable to provide 24-hour services. Hospital pharmacies function with fewer pharmacists than their U.S. counterparts, utilizing larger numbers of technicians. Clinical pharmacy practice centers around drug monitoring (ward pharmacy). Pharmacokinetic services are provided in a few places. Master of science degrees in clinical pharmacy are available. However, the future of clinical pharmacy practice in England depends on staffing levels and competition between and acceptance from other health disciplines.
