The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) yesterday (August 11) published a policy paper on “managing a robust and resilient supply of medicines” following an increase in drug “supply issues”.
The paper confirmed that it will “consult on enabling pharmacists working in a community pharmacy to have the flexibility to supply an alternative strength or formulation against a prescription written by another prescriber”.
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It comes after the DH first committed to “exploring new flexibilities” for pharmacists in March, with health minister Karin Smyth announcing at the time that a consultation would be launched “by summer”.
The planned consultation will “improve patient access to medicines and improve patient experience”, it said yesterday.
But it noted that the government must “give careful consideration to when [substitutions] might be appropriate, to balance any risks to patient safety and the potential knock-on impact that could unintentionally lead to supply problems with other products”.
“Reduce” pharmacy pressure
Yesterday’s policy paper revealed that “information guides” will be published for pharmacists “later this summer” to “give guidance on what to do when faced with a shortage of a medicine”.
The guides will also advise pharmacists on “where to find the most up-to-date management advice on national supply issues so that they can best support their patients”, it added.
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The paper also set out that the DH will “expand and speed up access to information on anticipated resupply dates for out-of-stock medicines and available alternative treatments for GPs”.
This will remove the need for patients to “go back and forth between pharmacies and GPs if they are prescribed a medicine that is unavailable” and “reduce potential pressure on pharmacies, the GP sector and patients”, it said.
“A win” for all
Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) chief executive Malcolm Harrison today (August 12) welcomed the paper and said that he was “pleased to see” the DH “exploring an expanded role for pharmacy in ensuring the continued supply of medicines”.
The trade association called on the government to “review the price paid for medicines” and stressed that “continued investment is key to ensuring the UK remains an attractive market for global medicine manufacturers and suppliers”.
Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) chief executive Dr Leyla Hannbeck highlighted that a change in the rules would ease pharmacy workload.
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It would stop “the ridiculous situation where, when the initially prescribed medication is not available, pharmacists know they can offer a sensible and safe alternative but the outdated rules mean they can’t offer it to anxious and concerned patients”, she said.
And Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) president Professor Claire Anderson said that this is “a landmark moment for pharmacy and patient care”.
“This change would help reduce delays for patients and free up valuable GP time, allowing the NHS to function more efficiently,” she said, adding that it is “a win for patients, a win for the NHS and a win for common sense”.
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Plans for a “formal” consultation on allowing pharmacists to substitute medicines were initially revealed after a toddler died when her pharmacist was unable to amend her out-of-stock prescription.
Meanwhile, the pharmacy all-party parliamentary group (APPG) called for “immediate and coordinated action” last month following its findings that “persistent disruptions” to supply chains were placing an “unsustainable burden on community pharmacy teams”.
And a House of Lords committee last week announced the launch of “medicines security” inquiry to look into the “UK’s ability to predict and prevent medicine supply issues”.
