Remote supervision divided debate among attendees at a fringe session on supervision at the RPS Conference in London this week.

Chaired by vice-chair of the English Pharmacy Board Sid Dajani, the debate centred on the eight principles for supervision released by the RPSGB last month. These include a declaration that all patients should have their medicines supply overseen by a pharmacist.

Independent pharmacist Graham Phillips responded: “I am not willing to remove the pharmacist from the scene. As a clinician I am not willing to do that.

“You can’t say you can be out of the pharmacy for two hours as you don’t know what’s going to happen in those two hours.” 

The debate comes ahead of an expected government bid to review existing supervision laws next year.

Changes could see pharmacists able to run pharmacies without being physically present.

This remote supervision concept has been heavily criticised by the industry, but attendees from Wales and Scotland argued the concept could ensure patients in remote parts of the UK had access to services.

Director of pharmacy for NHS Highland John Cromarty said: “Remote access is a problem, the area I cover has an area of 12,500 square miles. Many patients have no access to community pharmacy.”

Debate attendees also questioned how the RPS will engage members  in the supervision consultation.