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The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) have called for more pharmacists to work within general practices, leading to widespread media debate and a mixed response from pharmacy bodies. The RPS and the RCGP argue that employing a pharmacist as part of the GP team would help to improve patient safety, reduce GP pressures and address the problem of the over-supply of pharmacists. The PAGB has welcomed the recognition of the important role of pharmacists in improving people's health, but emphasised the need to encourage more people to make better use of community pharmacies.

Pharmacy Voice also welcomed the plan for closer working between GPs and pharmacists, while stressing the need to involve community pharmacy teams in plans for greater integration. €Putting pharmacists into GP surgeries can bring specialist skills around medicines to play for patients, but we need to ensure that this resource is closely linked to that of pharmacists and their teams in the community,€ said Rob Darracott, Pharmacy Voice chief executive.