don't even have a quiet space to talk to patients about even minor complaints, so where are they going to find the facilities to examine and talk to patients with serious complaints in a shop full of people?" The earlier plan to allow nurses and some pharmacists to prescribe a wide range of drugs as part of a Government bid to speed up patient treatment has been shelved following the British Medical Association branding that move as ''irresponsible and dangerous'' saying it could put patients at risk.

Chairman James Johnson said that it was difficult to see how health workers who were not trained to diagnose disease could safely prescribe the appropriate treatment compared to fully-trained doctors.

Referring to the new role of pharmacists, Dr Richard Vautrey of the BMA's GPs Committee said yesterday: "We welcome any additional services that patients can access but we must avoid patients getting confused about where they should go for expert help.

"We need to make sure there is very clear communication between these new expert pharmacists and the patients' GPs so that they know of the advice that has been given and that the care that is provided for individual patients is coordinated properly."

According to Health Minister Andy Burnham, the new chemists will be able to offer help "on patients' doorsteps". He told the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester: "New and extended roles for experienced staff are a key part of our NHS reforms.

"Pharmacists with Special Interests will give patients more choice about where, when and from who they seek healthcare advice and treatment for things such as sexually transmitted infections, substance misuse and diabetes, or heart attack and stroke prevention through monitoring anticoagulation medicines."

A Department of Health spokeswoman said that the move was designed to ease the pressure on GPs and give patients an extra option for seeking treatment - r
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