Better use of medical skills urged

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33539, 21 May 1974, Page 15

Better use of medical skills urged

the expensively-taught and hard-won skills necessary for patient health care needed to be used more effectively, the associate professor of general practice at the Auckland School of Medicine (Dr John Richards) said in Auckland.

[ | Speaking at the first confer- > ence of the Pharmaceutical '.[Association of Australia and [New Zealand, Dr Richards [said that tile major need today was not so much new [discoveries in medicine as the /ability to bring advances already made to the greatest number of people. [ “This means that the skills [of the general practitioners, [the surgeon, specialist, pharmacist, dentist, trained nurse /and other members of the [health team must be used to 'the greatest advantage. None [of these people should be oc-; icupying themselves with /tasks that can be done [equally well by other people [with other training,” said Dr 'Richards. He mentioned the continu--ous cycle of circumstances' which were helping to pro-i long and worsen the shortage of general practitioners in New Zealand. Doctors were being overburdened with: /tasks that might be well or[ [better handled by other -skilled people, he said. L [ This workload lessened the [general practitioner’s -profes- ' Isional effectiveness and'i [helped to deter newcomers;: io the medical profession!] from becoming general prac-il

- titioners. The trickle of new 1[ blood does little to alleviate I the burdens of practising general practitioners. ’[ General practitioners, in ■ Dr Richard’s view, were the, "key persons in the provision ■ of health <are. But they must ■ learn to delegate responsibilities and duties so that their prime skills and knowledge: ([could be used to the full. The pharmacist, with his (special training and know- : ledge and his involvement in [the day-to-day life of the [community he serves, was [one professional who was [ideally placed to shoulder! (some of the doctor’s burdens, i A closer relationship between doctor and pharmacist would be the first step in [establishing ways or relieving: jthe doctor of some of his| ■tasks, giving a greater pro-, Jfessional role to the pharmacist and bringing more and better health care to the community. Dr Richards, like other [speakers at the conference? ( suggegsted that pharmacists' /could possibly take over the bulk of the responsibility for 'educating members of the public into a better understanding of drugs, and a clear (picture of the doctor’s in-! (tended treatment.