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NHS

Patient group direction protocols wanted

From Mr P. G. W. Jones, MRPharmS

Recent developments within planning in the National Health Service recognise the importance of speedier access to health care and the untapped potential of community pharmacists to deliver this agenda. It is not necessary to wait for changes in legislation to develop the contribution that pharmacy can offer as has already been demonstrated in the field of emergency hormonal contraception.

Further opportunities that can now be seized include the provision of medicines via patient group directions for smoking cessation, head lice eradication, and the treatment of thrush, athlete's foot and other minor ailments that currently burden general practitioners.

Pharmacists can help each other to speed up this process by creating PGDs locally and displaying them on the national website at www.groupprotocols.org.uk. It is to be hoped that this will reduce duplication of effort and speed up opportunities to improve access.

The website does not currently display many PGDs authorising pharmacists to supply or administer medicines. Consequently I am appealing to pharmacists who produce PGDs for the types of indication mentioned to submit them to the website by using the username protocol and password “crown2000”, sending them direct to me as e-mail attachments (Word documents) or submitting them on a computer diskette.

The website has recently been upgraded to display model PGDs as referred to in HSC 2000/026 and to include a most informative document entitled “To PGD or not to PGD” produced by Beth Taylor, which leads health professionals through the process of determining whether a PGD is an appropriate method of supplying or administering medicines.

Peter G. W. Jones
Prescribing Adviser
Salford West PCG
Floor 5B, Peel House
Albert Street
Eccles M30 0NJ

E-mail peter.jones@ph.sat-ha.nwest.nhs.uk

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