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New amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations will soon allow registered pharmacy technicians to supply and administer medicines under Patient Group Directions (PGDs). Laid before Parliament at the end of May, the legislative changes will come into effect from June 26, 2024, the Community Pharmacy England (CPE) announced today. The introduction of this new legislation follows an announcement made by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) earlier this year. The regulatory adjustments provide the legal framework for pharmacy technicians to engage in the supply and administration of medicines under PGDs in the course of their professional practice. However, there will be no immediate change in the provision of community pharmacy services, the CPE noted

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has notified Community Pharmacy England (CPE) that they will no longer be able to implement the new hub and spoke models from 1 January 2025 as initially planned. The delay comes after the General Election, which put the progress of these amendments on hold. The DHSC is currently briefing new ministers across all policy areas, including hub and spoke dispensing between different pharmacy owners. As this process will take time, the implementation will not proceed as originally scheduled. CPE has stated that it does not yet have a clear timeline and will provide an update to the sector once more information becomes available. Malcolm Harrison, CEO of the Company Chemists' Association (CCA), expressed disappointment over the continued delays in fulfilling commitments made in the 2019 contractual framework agreement to support pharmacies.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has urged the government to amend medicines legislation to allow pharmacists to make minor amendments to a prescription without any protocol being needed. RPS wants to see a change in the law that makes the whole process of supply of medicines easier and quicker, enabling pharmacists to use their knowledge and expertise in medicines to better support patients. "At present a prescription can only be changed by a prescriber, which causes unnecessary workload for GPs and delays for patients," said RPS. RPS President Professor Claire Anderson said: "We want to see all pharmacists across the UK able to supply a different quantity, strength or formulation of a medicine (for example changing capsules to tablets) when required, to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy and the need for an SSP to be developed, signed and authorised by a Minister. In effect it would mean that pharmacists can help patients straight away - it would future proof the problem to some degree.