General Practice Pharmacies as an integral part of the GP Primary Care Centre would allow GPs to lead a team of co-located health professionals, including pharmacists in providing collaborative health care to local patients.  This model of primary health care service would ensure that the care of patients is integrated, not fragmented or duplicated, and that patients are seen by the right health professional, at the right time, for the right treatment and health care advice.

It would also provide the flexibility for general practice nurses to be located in the General Practice Pharmacy to provide some patient treatment and advice in the pharmacy shop-front, for the convenience of patients.

There would continue to be a clear separation between prescribing and dispensing. Pharmacists would still retain the professional and legal responsibility for dispensing medicines, independent of the GP. Pharmacists could also provide general health advice to patients and participate in health prevention programs (such as diabetes and asthma management) in collaboration with the health team at the GP Primary Health Care Centre under agreed clinical protocols which take into account the particular skills and training of each member of the health care team.

GP Primary Health Care Centres with General Practice Pharmacies in them would allow both the pharmacist and any other health professional working within the pharmacy to easily and quickly refer patients back to the onsite GP for medical care when appropriate.  Whilst co-location would maximize convenience, patients would still have the choice to attend whatever GP and /or pharmacy they wished.

In summary, these arrangements will ensure that patient care is not fragmented or duplicated, that the GP remains responsible for the health care that the patient receives regardless of who provides it at the one convenient location.