The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7497 p425
12 April 2008

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NPA opposes plan to register untrained people in emergencies

The National Pharmacy Association is opposing Government proposals to allow people without professional training to work as pharmacists during a national emergency such as an influenza pandemic.

The NPA wants only recently retired pharmacists, non-practising qualified pharmacists or preregistration trainees nearing the end of their training to be allowed to take on the responsibilities of practising pharmacists, including prescribing, during an emergency.

The association is objecting to proposals in the Healthcare and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) No 2 Order, which would allow non-pharmacists to have temporary professional registration.

In a statement the NPA said: “Allowing non-pharmacists to register and use the restricted title of pharmacist could damage long-term patient confidence in the profession.” The organisation is worried that patient safety could be jeopardised if the power, which would be given to the registrar of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society or the General Pharmaceutical Council, is approved.

The comments by the NPA follow worries from the Society about the proposed changes to temporary registration during a national emergency (PJ, 1 March 2008, p237). The Society is concerned that the professional fitness-to-practise rules may not apply to people given temporary registration.

The Society is also asking the Government to extend temporary registration to cover the posts vacated by pharmacy technicians who may have to take on pharmacist duties during an emergency.