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MODERNISING NHS COMMUNITY PHARMACY IN SCOTLAND

SECTION 5: PERSONS AUTHORISED TO PROVIDE PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES

The Policy Intention

5.1 To standardise the legal references to persons authorised to provide pharmaceutical services.

The Need for Change

5.2 As indicated at Section 2 of this document, one of the aims of the New Contract is to encourage community pharmacists to spend more time with patients and less time on the mechanics of dispensing.

5.3 Section 28(2) of the 1978 Act states that medicines provided by pharmacies providing NHS pharmaceutical services must be dispensed by or under the ‘direct supervision’ of a registered pharmacist.

5.4 Taking the words ‘direct supervision’ literally implies that the pharmacist must oversee every dispensing and, as such, this will have a limiting factor on the time that can be spent with patients. Also, the reference to ‘direct supervision’ contrasts to the approach taken in the Medicines Act 1968, which refers only to ‘supervision’.

The Proposal

5.5 It is proposed to replace the current 1978 Act requirement that medicines are supplied under ‘direct supervision’ with a requirement that medicines will be supplied under the description of supervision that is consistent with the approach taken in the Medicines Act 1968.

5.6 It is considered that the change would allow a more liberal interpretation of supervision to mean ensuring safe systems of work and, under this wider interpretation, community pharmacists would be able to devote more time to engaging in direct patient care activities.

Question

• Will the action proposed enable community pharmacists to devote more time to direct patient care?

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