DH consults on pharmacy supervision

Proposals maintain physical pharmacist presence

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has opened a consultation on proposals to update legislation around the supervision of activities by a pharmacist in a pharmacy.

The consultation sets out proposals to amend the Medicines Act 1968 and The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 across GB which would allow:

pharmacists to authorise  (not directly supervise) pharmacy technicians to carry out, or supervise others carrying out, the preparation, assembly, dispensing, sale and supply of medicines;
pharmacists to authorise any member of the pharmacy team to hand out checked and bagged prescriptions in the absence of a pharmacist; and
pharmacy technicians to take primary responsibility for the preparation, assembly and dispensing of medicinal products in hospital aseptic facilities.

These proposals are not a move towards allowing pharmacists to remotely supervise a community pharmacy. Physical presence of the responsible pharmacist in a retail pharmacy is not being changed as part of this reform.

The aim is to enable pharmacists in community pharmacy to deliver more patient-facing clinical services - improving access to care for patients and releasing capacity in the wider NHS.

A report from the Pharmacy Supervision Practice Group has informed this consultation. Response is online

Dispensing doctor practices are outside the scope of this consultation.

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