AN EAST Lancashire Primary Care Trust has spoken out in support of the area's pharmacists following a report by Which? magazine.

Researchers from the magazine went undercover on 84 pharmacy visits in England, Scotland and Wales with a variety of medical complaints and found that on 35 occasions the service they received was "unsatisfactory".

Which? said that if their symptoms had been real the "patients" could now be taking inappropriate drugs, suffering with serious untreated infections or dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

Today Sharuna Reddy, pharmaceutical adviser to Blackburn with Darwen PCT, said "It is unfortunate that the Which? report focuses on a minority of pharmacists reported to have given unsatisfactory advice.

"We should acknowledge that the majority of advice was rated as satisfactory or good."

The Which? report was published as the Government prepares to expand the role of pharmacists to allow them to issue repeat prescriptions without involving a GP and selling medicines which have only been available on prescription.

After completing a four-year degree course, specialising in medicines and their use and effects together with one year in practice pre-registration, it is the responsibility of the pharmacists to maintain their continued professional development.

But Ms Reddy said that before taking on any new extended roles pharmacists are required to undergo training specific to that role and be accredited. She said: "In Blackburn with Darwen PCT we are committed to ensure training is integral to any new proposed services being offered by community pharmacists.

"We have successful schemes running through accredited pharmacies that have benefits for patients, such as the repeat dispensing scheme that enables patients to get their supply of medicines from the pharmacy rather than returning to the GP every month.

"We are also operating the successful Emergency Hormonal Contraception Scheme which allows women to access emergency contraception quickly through accredited pharmacies.

"We intend to support pharmacists to take on new services such as medication review to enable patients to get a better understanding of their medicines.

"Pharmacists provide a valuable, easily accessible service to the majority of the population and, in particular, to vulnerable groups in communities. As a PCT we value their skills and have confidence in their ability to deliver these services."