The introduction of independent pharmacist prescribing in May 2006 in the UK was aimed at improving patient care, to provide quicker and more efficient access to medicines and to make the best use of the skills of qualified pharmacists. Over time, it was also envisaged that it would help to reduce the workload of physicians (mainly doctors and other health care professional).

Being an independent prescriber pharmacist in the UK certainly has its benefits over other sectors of pharmacy practise in the UK especially when viewed from the perspective of clinical knowledge development, salary received, prestige and career advancement to mention a few.

An independent prescriber pharmacist has the individual autonomy of managing any diagnosed and undiagnosed medical condition and prescribes or de-prescribe any licensed medicine within his field of competence without any need for formal medical collaboration. Non-prescriber pharmacists, as well as supplementary pharmacist prescribers, lack this degree of autonomy, making their roles somewhat limiting when viewed in comparison with the prescriber pharmacist.

The extra edge possessed by independent prescriber pharmacists affords them more job opportunities in hospital and especially in GP surgery where the over-bearing burden of patients on doctors has thus created a demand for prescribing pharmacists. Furthermore, recent job listings for pharmacists in the hospital and GP surgery in the UK give more preference to independent prescriber pharmacists over non-prescriber pharmacists, giving them somewhat of an edge over their non-prescriber colleagues.

Independent prescribing for pharmacists comes with greater responsibility, accountability and an avenue for continuous learning and development.

More often than not, there are common scenarios, especially in the GP surgeries where non-prescriber pharmacists have had to advise on prescribing options, particularly when dealing with a patient. Then the pharmacist has to ask the prescriber to sign the prescription and take over responsibility for their ideas and choices. This can be particularly frustrating and thus limiting for the pharmacist. However, by becoming an independent prescriber pharmacist, this problem can be resolved.

Some of the conventional roles of non-prescriber pharmacists in GP practice include:

1. Repeat prescription management
2. Liaise with doctors about prescriptions.
3. Advise patients of any adverse side effects of medicines or potential interactions with other medicines/treatment.
4. Discharge letter reconciliation
5. Prescription queries and task
6. Medication review
7. Quality and Outcomes Framework(QOF) work
8. Peer review and clinical audits

In the long term, these responsibilities can be monotonous, boring and might create an avenue for errors to be made. Meanwhile, the independent prescriber pharmacists in addition to all these responsibilities have a license to go a step further by getting to take charge of the patient care-plan fully and regularly attending to patients with different medical conditions within their field of competence. This makes their job very much interesting, challenging, rarely dull and thus giving them more relevance to the GP surgeries.

Non-prescribing pharmacists working in either the hospital or GP practice in the UK earn within £30,000 to £40,000 annually depending on a couple of factors which range from the place of employment to one’s negotiation skills. Independent pharmacist prescribers, however, earn higher with their salaries ranging from £45,000 to £51,000 (Band 8a) annually depending on experience. Although, both sectors can make even more via experience, specialisation and both. Notwithstanding, independent prescribing pharmacists stand to earn more in most cases.

By and large, Independent prescribing by pharmacists is worth every hassle as it promises to be a step forward in career advancement and a way to highlight further the relevance of pharmacists to the medical team in the UK.