Page 33 - P4403.59-V59_Numark Pharmacy Magazine Jan 25 PRINT - FLIP

This month Numark Information

Services Team brings you…

Original Pack Dispensing

Original Pack Dispensing (OPD) comes into effect for NHS dispensing in England on
1st January 2025. The concept of OPD marks a pivotal change in how medicines can be
dispensed to patients. Introduced as part of broader efforts to modernize and streamline
the dispensing process, OPD has the potential to enhance patient safety, improve medicine
adherence, and reduce waste and improve dispensing efficiencies.
Since October 2023, changes to the Human Medicines Regulations (HMRs) have allowed
pharmacies to dispense up to 10% more or less than the quantity prescribed (OPD +/- 10%
dispensing) for private prescriptions for POMs. Now, changes to NHS regulations allow the
same for NHS prescriptions in England following consideration of suitability by the supervising
pharmacist.
This will allow the flexibility to supply up to 10% more or less than the prescribed quantity, if
that would mean the medicine could be dispensed in the manufacturer’s original pack, and
other prescription requirements are fulfilled.
There is no obligation to use OPD +/- 10% dispensing and pharmacists will need to exercise
their professional judgment to assess its suitability and the benefit to the individual patient,
and it is not expected to be appropriate in all cases.
Examples of OPD being inappropriate are:

• Antibiotic courses • Where there are concerns that the patient
• Steroid courses will otherwise not be able to follow the
medicine regimen
• Supplies in Monitored Dosage Systems
• Prescriptions with additional information
to restrict supply such as weekly supplies
for vulnerable patients
OPD Reimbursement
Reimbursement for OPD +/- 10% dispensing will only apply to EPS prescriptions. The small
percentage of FP10 paper prescriptions dispensed will continue to be reimbursed in line with
current arrangements.

Products that will be reimbursed for OPD +/- Products not included:
10% dispensing

POMs Special containers (including legal requirement to dis-
pense valproate products in OPs)
Non-POMs (P, GSL, non-medicines including Unlicensed specials (Part VIIIB, Part VIIID and non-Tariff
ACBS (Advisory Committee on Borderline Sub- specials)
stances) products, food supplements, cosmet-
ics, toiletries etc)
Schedule 5 Controlled Drugs (Sch 5 CDs) Schedule 1-4 Controlled Drugs (Sch 1-4 CDs)

Part IXA, IXB, IXC and IXR Appliances

Products supplied in accordance with Serious Shortage
Protocols (SSPs)
Products supplied in accordance with Patient Group
Directions (PGDs)

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