Independent pharmacists in Northern Ireland have welcomed the chance to "get up to speed" with their colleagues in the rest of the UK by supplying prescription medicines script-free under a patient group directive (PGD).

Numark became the first pharmacy group to offer a PGD to independent pharmacies in Northern Ireland this week (July 2), when it launched training for flu vaccination.

The group claims that the private flu vaccination service, which is provided by private health clinic The Health Station, is the first pharmacy PGD to be recognised by Northern Ireland's health regulator the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA).

The Numark PGD allows pharmacists to deliver the flu vaccine as an injection to patients over the age of 12 years and pregnant women, or as a nasal spray to patients aged 12 to 17 years	More on Northern Ireland PSNI 'strongly recommends' pharmacists do not       stock e-cigarettes Northern Irish pharmacies urged to become HLPs NI contractors lukewarm on first MUR service MORE NEWS
	It allows pharmacists to deliver the flu vaccine as an injection to patients over the age of 12 years and pregnant women, or as a nasal spray to patients aged 12 to 17 years. Pharmacists who attended the training would also be able to deliver vaccines for meningitis, shingles and pneumonia once it is allowed by the RQIA, Numark said.

Pharmacist Killian Johnston of H Sweeny pharmacy, Londonderry, said the service would help Northern Ireland pharmacists match their colleagues in mainland UK, after attending the training course this week.

"We need to realise it's the future of how you use your professional skills properly. I think everyone who's come on the training had a few fears and mine have all been put to bed," he told C+D.

Garth Newberry, owner of Newberry Pharmacy, Carryduff, said he was keen to use any PGD that would benefit his patients. "Northern Ireland patients have had to wait for a while, but it's good that it's here now," he told C+D.

Numark services development manager Amanda Bell said the uptake for the £220 PGD service had been "fantastic" and 54 pharmacists had already signed up for the training courses.

Ms Bell added that demand for private flu vaccinations could be "significant", as GPs only vaccinated at-risk groups.

Numark plans to launch additional PGDs for a travel service, erectile dysfunction, emergency hormonal contraception, alopecia and weight management later this year or next year.

Last week, PSNC unveiled a business case for pharmacy flu vaccinations to show how the sector could reach at-risk patients better than GP surgeries alone.

Read C+D's analysis on making the most of PGDs.

Are PGDs the future of pharmacy services? Comment below or email us at [email protected] You can also find C+D on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook