The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7219 p515
12 October 2002

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National Pharmaceutical Association (www.npa.co.uk)

Skill mix proposals may weaken the medicines safety net, warns the NPA

A warning that proposals in the Department of Health's pharmacy workforce discussion document could reduce patient safety has been voiced by the National Pharmaceutical Association.

At their September meeting, members of the NPA management board said that allowing accredited pharmacy technicians to dispense and supply medicines without pharmacist supervision could weaken the vital safety net currently provided.

NPA chairman Terry Hannawin has urged NPA members to get involved in the skill mix debate. "Community pharmacists must read the document (PJ, 5 October, p469) and enter the debate. The Government is suggesting that the pharmacy supervision framework is outdated and is a major constraint on the development of extended pharmacy services. As a result it proposes to overhaul the whole system with schemes, such as personal medicines supply schemes, which will change the face of the pharmacy profession as we know it," he said.

Board members agreed that most of the document made sound sense and that the future lies in focusing on patients and providing more interaction and advice. They believe that pharmacists will need to give serious consideration to the skill mix in pharmacy with a view to reconfiguring the way that tasks are currently carried out.

Other matters considered at the NPA board's September meeting are reported below.

PIL proposals rejected Board members believed that proposals to allow community pharmacists to photocopy patient information leaflets (PILs) are unworkable (PJ, 10 August, p181). They said that the one obvious option missing from the proposals was to create a regulatory framework to allow the dispensing of medicines in patient packs.

Co-opted multiple members Tricia Kennerley (Moss Pharmacy) and Andy Murdock (Lloydspharmacy) have been co-opted to the NPA board to represent their companies. As a result, an election will be held to fill the elected seat previously held by Mr Murdoch.

Medicines reclassifications Board members decided to support the proposed reclassification of Grisol (1 per cent griseofulvin spray) as a pharmacy medicine (PJ, 24 August, p238). They also decided to oppose the transfer of Hc45 bite and sting relief cream (1 per cent hydrocortisone) to the general sale list category.

The NPA board believes that the public interest is best served if all non-prescription medicines are available only from pharmacies.