Independent prescribing set to become an enhanced service
Independent prescribing by community pharmacists in England will be recognised as an enhanced service from 1 May. However, it is unlikely that services will be able to start that soon because training courses necessary for pharmacists to qualify as independent prescribers have yet to be approved.
The recognition of the new service is set out in legal directions to
primary care trusts issued by the Department of Health last week (PDF 40K).The directions will also make it possible for pharmacy contractors
to carry
out medicines use reviews (MURs) even if their premises cannot be modified
to provide the necessary consultation areas.
PCTs will be allowed to give consent to MUR consultations taking place
at specified locations away from the pharmacy premises or even over the
telephone, provided the conversation cannot be overheard.
The directions also set out a tidying-up amendment to allow new pharmacy
contractors to carry out MURs under certain circumstances in their first
three months of business.
Currently, MURs may only be offered by contractors that have been in
business for at least three months.
The amendment means that, from 1 April, new pharmacies will be able to
offer MURs in their first three months of business provided the MUR has
been prompted by concern over the patient’s compliance with treatment. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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