The Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) is EU legislation which will require every pharmacy in the UK to scan barcodes and check tamper-proof devices from February 9, 2019.

The NPA said its deal with supplier FMD IT includes a software licence and a support fee of £25 per month.

Members can also purchase a Windows 10 tablet for £200, a Newland HR22 scanner for £75, pre-printed “aggregation labels” for 60,000 scripts for £65, and a USB hub that connects multiple devices together in an Ethernet network for £20.

The deal will “give independent pharmacies access to a cost-effective, simple, standalone FMD solution”, the association said.

“More benefits are likely to be delivered through a system integrated within a patient medication record, but while systems are still in development, in the short-term keeping the FMD process separate may be an attractive option for many pharmacies,” the NPA added.

“FMD contracts should have exit clauses”

John Pickford, NPA commercial director, said: “We have arranged for NPA members to get favourable rates from an established FMD solutions supplier and will see if we can do the same with other suppliers.”

Pharmacies should “be getting ready” for FMD, “despite uncertainties surrounding Brexit”, Mr Pickford said.

“We are advising members to avoid getting tied into long-term contracts unnecessarily and to look to the NPA for a good deal,” Mr Pickford said.

He advised pharmacies to “check the contract length and exit terms”, as “given the range of Brexit scenarios, contracts should have exit clauses”.

Boots and Well both said in August they were working towards FMD implementation, while Lloydspharmacy and Day Lewis were both preparing to trial barcode scanners in certain branches.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee said on Sunday (October 7) that the government has agreed to discuss the possibility of remuneration for pharmacies complying with FMD as part of the sector’s funding for 2019-20.