Henry Gregg, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association said:
"We share the Nuffield Trust's concerns about the insufficient planning by the NHS and government to utilise the skills of thousands of independent prescribers who are currently working in pharmacies or will be qualifying in the coming months.
"Prescribing absolutely cannot come at the expense of fully funding pharmacies for their dispensing work but without improved planning, there is a growing risk that newly qualified pharmacist prescribers will leave community pharmacy for hospitals or GP practices.
"As this report notes, in all professions new prescribers need proper support networks and adequate clinical supervision.
"Prescribers in community pharmacy have enormous potential to enable care closer to home supporting implementation of the 10 Year Health Plan and the shift from hospital to community and drive fresh opportunities for pharmacies.
"It is right that we use the skills of pharmacists fully in dispensing, managing repeat prescriptions and optimising medicines use."
