The Self Care Strategy Group (SSCG) has published a review of the Government's delivery plan for recovering access to primary care one year after its launch. Self care is a key part of efforts to improve capacity for primary care. The review focuses on three areas in particular:
- Enhancing the role of community pharmacy
- Faster navigation, assessment and response
- Empowering patients and healthcare professionals
Recommendations
The report makes nine recommendations to support the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England in implementing their commitments, the SSCG has published a review of the implementation of the plan's policies. They include:
- Continuing to work with patients and professional organisations to review how access to self-care and treatments for self-treatable conditions can be improved for populations living in rural and remote communities.
- Reviewing the impact of the Pharmacy First awareness campaign and explore opportunities to build upon and expand it into a long-term campaign that informs the public about the broader services, care and advice pharmacists can provide.
- Reviewing and improving the accessibility and navigational pathway of the NHS App to better support users to find accredited information and manage self-treatable conditions.
Find out more
Access the full report via the PAGB website here.
PIF sits on the Self Care Strategy Group alongside our members PAGB and the Self Care Forum. Other members of the group include Community Pharmacy England, Company Chemists' Association, National Pharmacy Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.