Pharmacy and GP regulators have joined forces to clamp down on prescription direction and the diversion of flu patients.

Evidence of GPs or pharmacists deceiving patients about where they should receive their vaccination or collect a prescription could result in an investigation by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), the General Medical Council or their Northern Ireland counterparts, the organisations said in a joint statement last Friday (November 13).

Last month, C+D reported that some GP surgeries were discouraging patients from getting vaccinated in a pharmacy. This included a Doncaster practice that messaged its patients to tell them that receiving their flu jab elsewhere “puts NHS money into private companies”.

The regulators said they had published their statement “following recent claims that patients and the public have been inappropriately influenced by health professionals when making decisions about where they access services, including flu vaccinations and dispensing of prescriptions”.

Both professions have a duty to “support informed decision-making by patients”, the regulators stressed. “This includes ensuring that information advertising services is factual and does not exploit patients’ vulnerability or lack of medical knowledge,” they said.

"Open and honest at all times"

The regulators also highlighted the need for pharmacists and GPs to “be open and honest at all times about where flu vaccinations are given”, and to “not allow any financial interest to affect the way they treat, refer or commission services for patients”.

Anyone concerned about patient choice being “unduly influenced” should contact NHS England or their national health board. There is a “clear process” for these complaints to be referred on to the regulators, they said.

However, the GPhC was unable to confirm to C+D whether it has already received any complaints regarding prescription direction or the pharmacy flu service.

A C+D poll earlier this month found that eight in 10 readers want NHS England to issue best practice guidance to avoid disputes between pharmacists and GPs over the flu service. C+D also revealed last week that many GPs are unaware they should be displaying an NHS England poster warning patients about prescription direction.
 

Are you aware of GPs in your area dissuading patients from receiving a pharmacy flu vaccination?

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