The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7416 p268
2 September 2006

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News summary

GP dispensing standard set

NHS Primary Care Contracting has published quality requirements (PDF 90K) that dispensing GP practices in England must meet in order to qualify for an annual payment of £2.58 per dispensing patient.

To qualify for the payment, practice staff whose main duties include dispensing have to be competent to a standard at least equivalent to the pharmacy services Scottish/National Vocational Qualification (S/NVQ) level 2, or be training towards this standard. The requirements have been developed to be consistent with (but not replicate) the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s minimum competence requirement for pharmacy support staff. They apply to all staff who:

• Receive or collect prescriptions for dispensing
• Assemble prescribed items, including generating labels
• Order, receive or store medicines
• Supply medicines to nursing homes and private hospitals