Pharmacists advised to label oxygen cylinders
Community pharmacies in England and Wales have been told to label all oxygen cylinders they supply to patients from now on with the pharmacy name, address and telephone number. This is so pharmacists can be told when to recover the cylinders once the new regionally contracted oxygen suppliers have taken the patients on.
They have also been told to tell patients to make sure that they have
enough oxygen at home to see them over the transition from supply by
community pharmacies to new suppliers on 1 February 2006.
Guidance issued by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee
and NHS Primary Care Contracting this week tells community pharmacists
how they should deal with patients requiring oxygen over the coming months.
It warns that some pharmacies are likely to be unable to obtain adequate
oxygen supplies. If this happens before 1 February next year, they are
advised to send patients to pharmacies that have cylinders. Between 1
February 2006 and 1 August 2006 patients can either be sent to pharmacies
that have supplies or referred to the new regionally contracted oxygen
supplier.
Pharmacies will be reimbursed for dispensing prescriptions for oxygen
cylinders until August next year, provided that any prescriptions concerned
were written before 1 February 2006.
BOC has agreed that it will offer credit to pharmacies for any unused
BOC domiciliary oxygen cylinders after 1 August 2006, provided they have
intact seals. But the dispute over liability for any missing cylinders
is ongoing. |
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