Shaping the Future of Healthcare: Pharmacist Prescribing at ESCP Spring Workshop
The Spring Workshop on Clinical Pharmacy, organized by the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP), took place on April 7–8, 2025, in the Dutch seaside town of Egmond aan Zee. The topic of this year is currently resonating across many European countries: The Prescribing Pharmacist – a prescription for better patient care.
“Does pharmacist prescribing sound like science fiction to you? That’s what I thought too—until I attended the ESCP spring workshop and realised it's not such a distant future after all. It was an inspiring two days filled with lectures, practical workshops, and conversations with colleagues from around the world. Together, we explored ways to implement various pharmacist prescribing models into healthcare systems – with the aim to improve medicine safety and access for patients. Pharmacist prescribing has been practiced for 20 years in countries like Canada and the UK, and others like Denmark and New Zealand have gradually joined in. It seems likely that more European countries will follow in the near future. This proves it's more than just a theoretical option – it's a reality,” said Dr. Zuzana Kiliánová, reflecting on her impressions from the spring workshop.
From Drug to Patient
Studies and experience from countries where pharmacist prescribing has been introduced show increased treatment safety and efficacy, reduced medication errors, and improved medicine accessibility and healthcare for patients (Poh EW, et al., 2017; Simpson T, et. al., 2024). Contemporary pharmacy is shifting from a drug-centered to a patient-centered approach.
But what exactly do we mean by pharmacist prescribing? Different countries apply a broad range of models within their legislation. These may include activities such as: dispensing a drug with an expired prescription, extending an expired or repeat prescription, dose adjustments, therapeutic substitution in case of unavailability, adding medications (e.g., laxatives with opioids), prescribing for minor ailments (e.g., allergic rhinitis), issuing antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infections, or gradual dose reduction during withdrawal treatment for hypnotics, and more.
Models of Pharmacist Prescribing
Currently, existing pharmacist prescribing models across countries can be categorized as follows:
- Collaborative prescribing – based on agreements or cooperation with physicians
- Independent prescribing with limited rights – e.g., specific patient groups or specific medicines
- Independent prescribing for patients with diagnosed conditions
- Independent prescribing for patients with or without diagnosed conditions
Active Participation of Slovak Colleagues
The perception of pharmacist prescribing in Slovakia was explored by Anna Oleárová, President of the Clinical Pharmacy Section and Vice President of the ESCP, together with Zuzana Kiliánová and Natália Stollárová. They presented the results of their survey during the ESCP workshop, contributing to the European initiative to map pharmacists' attitudes toward this topic. Preliminary findings suggest that Slovak pharmacists generally view the expansion of their competencies positively, most favoring the first two models mentioned above.
Attitudes toward pharmacist prescribing were also explored by Miroslava Snopková, Vice President of the Slovak Chamber of Pharmacists, and Kristína Szmicseková. Their findings highlighted how frequently patients request prescription-only medicines in pharmacies without a valid prescription. Nearly all participating pharmacists had encountered such situations, with almost half reporting that they face these requests several times a day.
Prescription for Better Patient Care
As healthcare systems face mounting pressures with increasing demands from aging populations, rising comorbidities and resource limitations, innovative solutions are essential. Expanding pharmacists’ roles to include prescribing is emerging as a promising way to maintain accessible, high-quality care. While integrating this model presents unique challenges related to education systems and collaboration with physicians, nurses, and other health professionals – not to mention with patients – the time to consider how to fully utilize the knowledge, experience, and potential of pharmacists within the healthcare system is here.
The European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) is an international organization representing clinical pharmacists working in both practice and academia across Europe. ESCP organises two major events annually – one in autumn and one in spring. Last year, the spring workshop was hosted by the Faculty of Pharmacy at Comenius University in Bratislava.
Bibliography:
Poh EW, McArthur A, Stephenson M, Roughead EE. Effects of pharmacist prescribing on patient outcomes in the hospital setting: a systematic review. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2018 Sep;16(9):1823-1873. doi: 10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003697. PMID: 30204671.
Simpson T, Yik J. Managing medicine shortages. Aust Prescr 2024;47:148-52. https://doi.org/10.18773/austprescr.2024.045
PharmDr. Natália Stollárová