Pharmacists vital to deliver Scottish mental health strategy

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland (RPS) has called for an exploration of new models of care which enable pharmacists to better support people with their mental health.

RPS is calling for an exploration of new models of care which enable pharmacists working in all settings to better support patients with mental health conditions with their medicines, with early interventions, monitoring and referrals to specialist services when necessary.

Jonathan Burton, Chair of the RPS in Scotland and a community pharmacist in Stirling, commented:

“We believe that pharmacists are vital to the delivery of the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy and could play a leading role in multidisciplinary teams. Working in the community, pharmacists see people more often than any other health professional and provide holistic care. There are great examples across the country from universities and rural communities to areas of deprivation where pharmacists are providing much-needed support.

“As experts in all aspects of medicines, pharmacists are often best placed to review a patient’s overall medication and will take a holistic approach to an individual’s conditions.  We can improve the quality of their care by ensuring that they are getting the most benefit from the medicines they are taking and reducing the risk of harm.”