Pharmaceutical parts of Scottish health bill debated
Amendments to the pharmaceutical care part of the new Smoking,
Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill were considered by the Scottish Executive’s health committee last week.
Two successful amendments widen ministers’ powers to determine
standards of new pharmaceutical care services contracts beyond existing
powers on dispensing. Another amendment passed is for primary legislation
to require ministers to publish and maintain the Drug Tariff.
The only area of debate was around dispensing of appliances. Following
an explanation from deputy health minister Rhona Brankin, proposed amendments
were withdrawn. She said that stoma services will become a dedicated
health care service in their own right. Patients will be able to obtain
stoma appliances either with a prescription from a community pharmacy
or from a contracted appliance supplier.
“Currently, appliance suppliers have no recognised registration body. They
work from premises that are not subject to regulation and to standards that have
not been nationally agreed. That would lead to a mismatch in trying to define
appliance supply services within the constraints of the provisions for pharmaceutical
care services,” Ms Brankin said. |
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