The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7196 p627-628
4 May 2002

Society summary

Briefing for Scottish politicians on prescribing by pharmacists

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Scottish Department has issued a briefing paper to promote the extension of prescribing powers to include pharmacists.

The papers say that a greater role for pharmacists in the prescribing of medicines could bring major improvements in convenience for patients and increase the efficiency of health care services.

The paper draws attention to Government proposals to extend prescribing powers by establishing some pharmacists and nurses as supplementary prescribers to complement the work of independent prescribers such as physicians and dentists (PJ, 20 April, p521). The paper refers to the recent Medicines Control Agency consultation paper setting out the necessary amendments to the Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Order 1997 and explains that, because the application of prescribing is devolved to Scottish Ministers, there is a separate Scottish consultation.

The paper states that supplementary prescribing by pharmacists will not only be more convenient for patients but will ease general practitioners' workload. It explains that, although patients with certain chronic medical conditions or health needs will benefit most from supplementary prescribing, it will not be restricted to specific circumstances. The decision to introduce supplementary prescribing arrangements for a specific patient will depend on agreement between the independent prescriber, the supplementary prescriber and the patient. The paper goes on to describe how the pharmacist, as a supplementary prescriber, would be responsible for prescribing, monitoring and assessing the patient's progress in accordance with an agreed clinical management plan.

The briefing paper is the latest in a series designed primarily to inform members of the United Kingdom and Scottish Parliaments.