What can pharmacists do in general practice? A pilot trial

Background and objectives:Non-dispensing pharmacists are being suggested asa useful addition to the workforce in general practice.The aim of this study was to describe the activities ofthree general practice pharmacists over six months ina pilot trial.Method:Three general practices integrated a part-time(15.2−16 hours per week) non-dispensing pharmacistto be employed according to their individual skillsetand local workplace needs. Each general practicepharmacist maintained a daily activity diary, whichwas subsequently analysed.Results:The general practice pharmacists’ activities werecategorised as quality of practice (37%), administration(34%), medication review (19%) and patient education(11%). Within the quality of practice category, most timewas spent conducting clinical audits (47%). Over thecourse of the six months, time spent on administrationdecreased, while time communicating with generalpractitioners (GPs) on clinical issues increased.Discussion:The general practice pharmacists conducted a range ofpredominantly clinically related activities involving theirexpertise in the quality use of medications. Involvementin clinical activities to support GPs increased with timeworking in the practice. Randomised controlled trialsare required to collect clinical outcomes and determinewhich activities conducted by pharmacists are mostbeneficial to Australian patients and GPs