The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7405 p730
17 June 2006

Society summary

Byelaw change to recognise independent prescribing

The Council has agreed to seek a Byelaw amendment to allow pharmacists who become independent prescribers to have that qualification recognised by an annotation to the Register of Pharmaceutical Chemists.

The June Council meeting was reminded that Regulations had come into force on 1 May 2006 enabling pharmacists to become independent prescribers in line with the Government’s ambition to improve patients’ access to medicines. It was expected that the first independent prescribers would be enabled before the end of the year.

The Register was already annotated with the letters “sp” to indicate supplementary prescribers and it was proposed that it be amended to allow annotation with the letters “ip” for independent prescribers.

The Secretary and Registrar reminded the Council that the Byelaws relating to the Register were to be replaced with Rules under the proposed Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order, to be made under Section 60 of the Health Act 1999. However, the Order would probably not be in force in time to make Rules that would allow recognition of the first independent prescribers. That was why the Byelaw amendment was proposed.

She added that it was customary to give the Privy Council advance notification of intended Byelaw changes. The Privy Council office had not yet been able to respond, and the Council was asked to agree the amendment subject to any comments that the Privy Council may make, and which the President then would be able to agree before the propose amendment was gazetted in The Pharmaceutical Journal. It was expected that gazetting would take place in July, which would allow time to introduce the facility to annotate by about November, when it was expected that the first independent prescribers would be identified.

The Secretary and Registrar pointed out that Council members would have a further opportunity to review the matter in the new year when it looked at making Rules. She hoped that this would be the last amendment to Byelaws before they are replaced.