article_snippet: Pharmacists will be drafted into GP practices to help ease pressure and combat a shortage of family doctors, under plans to be unveiled today.
article_snippet: Pharmacists are to be drafted into GP practices to help ease pressure and combat a shortage of family doctors in the NHS, under new plans .
article_snippet: Many GP surgeries already work closely with pharmacists, and The proposals would see pharmacists working as part of the general team, in a similar way to practice nurses, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) said.
article_snippet: Maureen Baker, chairwoman of the RCGP, said a 'hidden army' of pharmacists could provide the solution to the pressures facing family doctors.
article_snippet: Yet we already have a 'hidden army' of highly trained pharmacists who could provide a solution. '
article_snippet: Practice-based pharmacists, working as part of the clinical team, would relieve the pressure on GPs and make a huge difference to patient care. '
article_snippet: This isn't about having a pharmacy premises within a surgery, but about making full use of the pharmacist's clinical skills to help patients and the overstretched GP workforce.'
article_snippet: Pharmacists train for five years, one year less than a doctor and a year more than a nurse.
article_snippet: Having a pharmacist as part of the team can make a huge difference to both patients and clinical colleagues. '
article_snippet: Pharmacists should be working in GP practices all over the country.  
article_snippet: Patients deserve access to high quality care and services wherever Patients live and pharmacists are central to providing this.'
article_snippet: Dr Chaand Nagpaul, GP committee chairman at the British Medical Association, said:  'Placing more pharmacists into GP practice teams is a move the BMA has been advocating for some time. '
article_snippet: For The implementation of this programme to work properly, there will need to be additional resources to enable enough pharmacists to be placed in GP surgeries. '
highlights_snippet: Pharmacists could be stationed in GP surgeries to help treat patients .
  
highlights_snippet: There is currently a shortage of GPs but an oversupply of pharmacists .
  