First pharmacist prescribers registered by Society
Fourteen pharmacists were registered as supplementary prescribers this week by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
Ann Lewis signing letters to the first 14 supplementary prescribing
pharmacists |
The final hurdle for registration was for the Privy Council to approve
a bye-law amendment so that the Society can annotate the register to
indicate that a pharmacist is a prescriber. Approval was given this week
and on 24 February the Secretary and Registrar, Ann Lewis, wrote to the
14 pharmacists to tell them that they had been registered as supplementary
prescribers. All 14 pharmacists practise in Scotland and were trained
at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.
Miss Lewis said: “This is an exciting development for the profession.
Supplementary prescribing by pharmacists will provide real opportunities
for more effective delivery of treatment and care to patients.”
Bill Scott, Scotland’s chief pharmaceutical officer, commented: “This
is a milestone in the history of pharmacy in the UK. It is a testament
to the vision of Professor Healey and his staff at the Robert Gordon
University. Most of all it is a triumph of success for those practising
pharmacists who have the ability and endeavour to undertake the course.”
Terry Healey, head of the school of pharmacy, said: “The registration
of the first 14 candidates as supplementary prescribers is a landmark
achievement. It is the result of a collaborative effort across Scotland
involving Bill Scott, Rose Marie Parr at NHS Education for Scotland,
the Royal Pharmaceutical Society through its accreditation panel and,
not least, my staff at the university, ably guided by Derek Stewart.”
The 14 pharmacists who have registered as supplementary prescribing are:
Jillian Binnie, Julie Blythe, David Dunn, Mohamed Elfellah, Martin Jackson,
Gillian Jardine, Lyn McDonald, Steve McGlynn, Fiona MacLean, Margaret
Melvin, Anne Milne, Fiona Reid (registered in the name of Wilson), George
Romanes and Campbell Shimmins.
Information about prescription pads and the prescribing process will
be sent to the supplementary prescribers within the next week by the
Scottish Executive Health Department. Community and primary care pharmacists
will need to order personalised prescription pads. Hospital pharmacists
will instead use a stamp on generic hospital supplementary prescribing
pads. Production of pads and stamps is expected to take two weeks from
order. Therefore, it is likely to be the middle of March before the first
supplementary prescription is written.
Supplementary prescribing is also progressing in England. The first pharmacists
expected to register are a group who have undertaken the supplementary
prescribing course at King’s College London. They are expected
to register after the university’s examination board meets at the
end of March. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal