In a New Year’s message to dispensing practices, DDA chief executive Matthew Isom highlights five New Year’s Resolutions for dispensing practices.
These are:
- Make sure that a GP partner is involved in the management of the dispensary – it’s their business after all and the dispensary is even more important to their business now than it has ever been.
- Focus on making sure that the dispensary staff are as trained and qualified as possible – the DDA has a suite of online educational modules, which we are constantly updating. Don’t forget, too, that the DDA has accredited training from Actavis, available on the Actavis Academy.
- Please check your local Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) produced by the Health and Wellbeing Board. Is there ‘unmet need’ in your area? If so, you could see a pharmacy application appearing, especially for ‘unforeseen benefits’.
- Please, please remember that any proposals which emerge locally for STPs/federations, which propose the merger of practices, could result in the loss of your dispensing rights. Do not assume that your local CCG knows, or understands the regulations covering your dispensing rights.
- Remember, the DDA is like an insurance policy: you never know when you are going to needs us! It could be for that technical dispensary question, your CQC inspection or whether you should/can merge with the neighbouring practice. Our subscription renewals take place now, so please don’t let your practice manager cancel!
Further information on the challenges of sustainability and transformation planning (STPs) in rural areas, Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments, and their unforeseen consequences for dispensing GPs , and the January Category M adjustment is included in the final 2016-17 DDA quarterly newsletter, which is brought to you in association with Actavis.
This is available to read online in the DDA executive communications and is also sent by post to key Actavis’ customers by post.
This edition of the quarterly newsletter also includes dispensary training on navigating the Drug Tariff and long acting contraceptives.
Please visit the DDA executive communications page to view the January 2016-17 supplement.