The RPSGB has called for pharmacist’s views on remote supervision after it revealing eight principles it believes should underpin future policy.

The principles are:

1. Patients and the public have a right to access medicines (including POMs, Ps and GSLs), quality assured medicines information and pharmaceutical services
2. Patient safety and wellbeing is paramount and this needs to be ensured via quality systems and processes
3. Patients should have their medicines supply overseen by a pharmacist and they should have a right to counselling about their medicines
4. Patients have a right to expect that a pharmacist will perform a professional check on every prescription dispensed
5. The need and respect for the pharmacy profession must be protected
6. Any changes to supervision should not lead to an increase in risk and any changes in workload must be at an acceptable level for the profession
7. A pharmacist can only be responsible for one pharmacy at any one time.
8. Supervision models may differ in different settings but there must be adequate staffing levels to deliver the services required

The RPSGB principles include ensuring that pharmacists oversee medicines supply and are able to make a final check, adequate staffing is in place and pharmacists should only be responsible for one pharmacy at a time.

The RPSGB would now look to canvas opinion on the principles through local practice forum meetings and webinars, said English Pharmacy Board chair Lindsey Gilpin.

Ms Gilpin was elected to the English Pharmacy Board last year on a ‘Stop Remote Supervision’ platform, along with eight other members of the 11-strong board.