Working with non-medical prescribers

Your editorial on non-medical prescribers1 does not mention the huge problems the grass root GPs face on a daily basis, picking up the pieces after supplementary prescribers and some independent prescribers have decided to prescribe drugs to their patients. GPs are regularly requested to write out and print FP10s for drugs prescribed on paper by palliative care teams, community diabetic care teams, community cardiology teams, community nursing teams, leg ulcer clinics, wound management clinics, podiatry clinics, continence clinics, and the list goes on.2 They appear in large volumes throughout our day and many times GPs just generate prescriptions and sign them because there is no time to liaise with the relevant health professionals and verify their validity. There is pressure from patients and relatives who have been asked to collect their drugs from the GP and are often waiting in surgery. This is very frustrating and raises doubts about the safety of such prescribing. As the person signing the prescription is ultimately responsible, it is not fair to ask GPs to do this. If we are going to give this duty to other professionals, they should take full responsibility for their actions. GPs could be consulted but should not be left with a pile to process with no other information. This is sadly a routine practice in our area. I wonder what the experience of GPs elsewhere is?

• © British Journal of General Practice, January 2011