Indemnity cover is to become compulsory for community pharmacies under their National Health Service terms of service early next year.
A Scottish NHS Management Executive letter issued on September 30 says that regulations will be drawn up to bring the requirement into force during the second quarter of 2000. It adds that similar regulations will also be prepared for England and Wales to a similar timescale.
The letter suggests that responsible contractors should already hold adequate cover to meet any intended requirements.
Exactly what the proposed regulations will require remains to be decided, but it is possible that they will include a requirement for indemnity cover to encompass specific employees of contractors, as well as practitioners themselves. Approved types of indemnity cover may be specified.
The letter also recognises that Scottish primary care trusts (PCTs) will require professional advice from pharmacists.
It says that this advice will be provided by area pharmaceutical committees. Area medical and dental committees will provide advice relevant to their professional roles.
The details of how this is to work are to be left for local agreement, subject to a requirement that PCTs must have full access to appropriate professional advice and that professional committees must be able to discharge their responsibilities effectively. It is suggested that this could be through committee chairmen attending meetings of trust boards and trust chief professional officers attending advisory committee meetings.
Health Act 1999: guidance. NHS MEL(1999)72, NHS Management Executive, St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG (tel 0131 244 2462). The guidance can be found on the internet at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/showmain/sh04.htm).