Page 8 - P4403.59-V55_Numark Pharmacy Magazine Sep 24 PRINT 3

Empowering technicians and

benefiting from the change

Legislation allowing pharmacy technicians to supply and
administer prescription-only medicines (POMs) under patient
group directions (PGDs) came into effect on 26th June, to much
acclaim from the pharmacy technician community.

Nicola Stockmann, President of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians
UK (APTUK), called this development a "landmark moment for patient care"
and "the culmination of years of work and lobbying."

HOWEVER, SHE EMPHASISED THAT PHARMACY

TECHNICIANS MUST COMPLETE ANY REQUIRED
TRAINING OUTLINED IN A PGD AND BE DEEMED
"COMPETENT AND AUTHORISED"

BY A PGD PROVIDER ORGANISATION BEFORE

THEY CAN OPERATE USING A PGD.

COMMUNITY PHARMACY ENGLAND (CPE) HAVE

ADVISED THAT THIS LEGISLATIVE CHANGE
DOES NOT MEAN PHARMACY TECHNICIANS ARE

"AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDED IN EXISTING

NHS COMMUNITY PHARMACY PGDS"
AND SAID THAT THERE CAN BE NO IMMEDIATE

CHANGE UNTIL SERVICE PROVISION UPDATES
TO NHS CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED IN
NEGOTIATIONS. UPDATES TO NHS COMMUNITY

PHARMACY PGDS AND SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS
WILL BE MADE WHERE CHANGES ARE AGREED UPON.

This does mean that any registered technicians are able to work
autonomously under all private PGDs, as they will be taking full
clinical responsibility for medications supplied.

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