The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) is urging its members to report the use of NHS England’s prescription direction poster.

The organisation has launched a survey on the poster – designed by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) – which was sent to GP surgeries and pharmacies last month and informs patients that they have “the right to collect medicines from any pharmacy you choose”.

C+D reported earlier this month that many GPs are unaware they should be displaying the poster, and the NPA said today (November 27) that it is “interested in gathering evidence about the posters” in both GP surgeries and pharmacies.

It called on pharmacists to take the online survey on the use of the poster in their area and given their views on whether the initiative will be effective at reducing prescription direction.

The organisation has been handling concerns about the problem on a "case-by-case basis”, including offering members “support from a representative and – where applicable – legal perspective”, it stressed.

“Despite this work, prescription direction persists unchecked in many areas and we continue to prioritise this very important issue for our members,” the NPA said.

Pharmacists concerned about prescription direction in their area can use an NPA toolkit and report their problems to [email protected], it added.

Will the prescription direction poster make any impact?

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