Demands for new powers in advance of pandemic
BSIP, Laurent/Laeticia/Science Photo Library
Pharmacists want to a better emergency supply system before a pandemic
strikes |
Other proposals supported
The organisations also support the following changes for the
duration of a pandemic:
• Supply of out-of-date medicines ( including all CDs, not just
schedule 5 CDs, as proposed)
• Supply of returned medicines (professional guidance should
be developed in advance of a pandemic, they say)
• Supply of POM quantities of medicines through combination of
pharmacy and general sale list packs to help with shortages (the
pharmacy bodies also propose that generic substitution and substitution
within therapeutic class should be permitted)
• Fast-track licensing of medicines
• Relaxation of requirements on safe custody of schedule 2 and
affected schedule 3 CDs
• Availability of antivirals from local collection points
• Relaxation of minimum staffing levels |
Improved emergency supply provisions and a national minor ailments scheme should be introduced immediately rather than waiting for an influenza pandemic to hit.
In a joint response (PDF 250K) to the Department of Health’s
consultation on ideas to ensure continuity of access to medicines throughout
the UK
during a pandemic (PJ, 1
December 2007, p617), seven national pharmacy
organisations also call for solutions to legislative barriers that could
undermine patient care during an outbreak to be found now.
“The need for emergency supplies would be reduced significantly
if repeat dispensing could be increased to its maximum potential now.
This could
be achieved by the Department of Health making this a Directed Enhanced
Service for GPs now,” they suggest.
Repeat dispensing should be extended to include schedule 2 and 3 Controlled
Drugs, they believe. They add that, in Scotland, both the minor ailment
service and the urgent supply patient group direction could be tweaked
to improve access further during a pandemic.
On proposals for extending emergency supply, the organisations point
out that similar proposals were suggested to the department in 2004.
They say that the changes should be made now, so that patients do not
have to wait for a pandemic to see better services.
Introducing a national minor ailments scheme immediately would alleviate
potential workload pressures at the beginning of a pandemic and would
ensure that NHS pharmacies are able to maintain supplies from the outset,
they believe.
“Any extensions to the service necessary during a pandemic would
be easily accommodated,” they add.
The DoH consultation suggests that prescription charges for influenza-related
medicines should be abolished during a pandemic. However, the pharmacy
bodies believe that it would be more appropriate for all medicines to
be provided free of charge since identifying exempt items would be time-consuming.
They also point out that the national banking infrastructure could be
compromised leaving people unable to pay for their regular
medicines.
The organisations also suggest that further discussions are needed on
the possible financial arrangements during and immediately after a pandemic
to ensure that NHS pharmacies are able to continue to provide NHS services.
The joint response comes from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the National
Pharmacy Association, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee,
Community Pharmacy Scotland, Community Pharmacy Wales, the Company Chemists’ Association
and the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies.
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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