Integration and differentiation: A conceptual model of general practitioner and community pharmacist collaboration (England)

Location

International

This article presents a new model of collaboration derived from interviews with general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists in England involved in service provision that required some form of collaboration.

The model highlights key components of collaboration, including the importance of trust, communication, professional respect, and “knowing” each other. It is argued here that previous models fail to recognize the asymmetry and differentiation between GPs and community pharmacists, including differences in perception toward and importance assigned to trust and communication. GPs were found to adopt demarcation strategies toward community pharmacies and pharmacists, with independent pharmacies being favored over multiple chains and regular pharmacists favoured over locum/sessional pharmacists. This differentiation was repeatedly highlighted by GPs and found to affect their ability or willingness to collaborate.

Bradley, F., Ashcroft, D. M., & Noyce, P. R. (2012). Integration and differentiation: A conceptual model of general practitioner and community pharmacist collaboration. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 8 (1), 36-46.

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