Published by Computachem Services

P.O Box 297.
Alstonville. 2477
NSW Australia

Phone:
61 2 66285138

The basis of all good relationships is mutual trust and respect.
This essential is especially applicable to professional relationships and where a third party, that is a patient is concerned. The prime requisite of care for patients devolves around the professional relationship and those inter professional relationships that result during the care process.
With out them the patient's care is compromised and each professional is failing badly.
This area of professional respect has recently been made apparent to me during the course of my work in the GP Division.

To add to the poignancy of my observations was the fact that during the time I relate to I was privileged to have a third year pharmacy student accompanying me, doing an introductory pharmacy experience week.
It all began with a visit to a GP (nameless) who must have a "bee in his bonnet" about pharmacists.
It was quite obvious (in the opinion of the GP) that the expertise a pharmacist has in the 'drug' arena was totally misguided and ignorant.
We had a reasonably good interview about the current Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) topic of Diabetes Type 2, and the treatment options and evidence to support them.
When the interview was over, the GP offered a few trite comments on pharmacists giving 'free' advice, and then developing this, to stating that PHARMACISTS SHOULD NOT GIVE ANY ADVICE, was more than astounding to my student!
It was more than astounding as we had conveyed excellent information to the GP, answered questions relating to the subject and clarified issues around prescribing antihyperglycaemic agents that were the most up to date evidence based facts available.
Scientific and not marketing information!
He then went on to say that drugs should be dispensed from doctor's surgeries from their computers and there was no place now for pharmacists.
I will not go into anymore of this diatribe except to say it was the most blatant disregard for another professional's expertise and the poorest example for a student to experience.
It did provide the opportunity however to expand on the necessity for the patient's well being to have mutual respect between all professionals concerned in the care of the patient as an imperative.
A good lesson to observe.
The final "coup de gras" was his enquiry to the student about the length of her course to which she replied that it was five years !!!
What did he think she was learning?
An example, in reverse, the next day also highlighted the same professional respect issue.
Another GP, having interacted on the Diabetes subject, listened attentively, and with a lot of regard was discussing one of his patients.
It appears that he puts 'no substitution allowed' on many of his prescriptions for good reasons and is often surprised when his patients report they had had the generic version dispensed regardless.
Or the pharmacist rang to say that the 'generic' was all that was available!
This GP is quite aware of the benefits often offered to pharmacists for generic volume dispensing.
No doubt of his sceptism!
On one occasion he reported that a pharmacist had suggested to the patient that she change doctors! Can you imagine the respect engendered by this pharmacist/GP relationship and the effect that this had on the patient?
All this in a couple of days made the subject of interprofessional relationships very pertinent.
We all need to do better especially as the Home Medication Review is being promoted, and pharmacists in particular, see the importance of this new working relationship with the prescribers.

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