From Mrs R. Baker, MRPharmS
SIR,—In a recent letter to The Pharmaceutical Journal, I claimed that the supply of emergency hormonal contraceptives (prescription only medicines) by community pharmacists under the umbrella of group protocol was unlawful (PJ, January 22, p132). A comment from Mrs Susan Sharpe was printed alongside and this comment has confused me.
It has been my understanding that when nurses supply oral contraceptives from family planning clinics they do so under the specific exemption for POMs supplied from a hospital or health centre in accordance with the directions of a doctor. I am, therefore, unable to follow Mrs Sharpe's argument that what is legal for the nurses must be legal for pharmacists, since, in the situation under discussion, the supply of emergency hormonal contraception is from pharmacies, not hospitals or health centres
I acknowledge that Mrs Sharpe is far better versed in the law than I am and would, therefore, be grateful for a more detailed explanation of the legality of the situation.
The comment made by the pharmacists concerned with the Manchester project points out the fact that the Crown report recommended supply under group protocols as the way forward. I am well aware of that recommendation but do not see how it can be acted upon without a change in the current legisla
Rosemary Baker
Hoylake, Wirral
Mrs SUSAN SHARPE (director of professional standards, Royal Pharmaceutical Society) replies: The Crown review in March, 1998, recommended clarification of the law in this respect, and it would be very welcome. It also recommended that use of group protocols complying with the criteria in Appendix A should continue. The protocol in Manchester does comply with those criteria.
The supply provisions in the Medicines Act extend to clinics and similar institutions. We take the view that premises where professional health care services of the kind that pharmacists working under the protocol would provide are offered can fall within the description of a clinic, even if there is a pharmacy on the same premises. For example, consulting rooms on pharmacy premises are used as clinics by other health care practitioners and there is no reason why a pharmacist may not also use them as such. We have advised that the protocol practice must be separate and distinct from the retail pharmacy business.