NPA/Day Lewis team up to develop new Patient Group Direction service
by Pharmacy Life - Published on 16 November 2012
Multiple pharmacy chain, Day Lewis, has teamed up with the National Pharmacy Association to develop a new Patient Group Direction (PGD) service for community pharmacists which will be available soon for all NPA members.
The PGD will enable pharmacists to dispense certain Prescription Only Medicines (POMs) to treat a range of medical conditions. Patients can access the service online, where the enrolment process will mirror a face-to-face consultation, or in the pharmacy.
Pharmacists will be able to dispense the following medicines:
Men’s Health: Viagra, Cialis, Levitra (to treat erectile dysfunction)
Women’s Health: Trimethoprim (to treat cystitis)
Sexual Health: Zithromax, Doxycycline, ellaOne (to treat Chlamydia and provide EHC)
General Health: Ventolin, Telfast, Dovonex ointment (to treat asthma, hay fever and psoriasis)
Travel Health: Malarone, Malarone Paed, Lariam, Doxycycline, Ciproxin and Scopoderm (for malaria prevention, travellers’ diarrhoea and motion sickness)
‘We’re delighted to be working with the NPA on this service to lead the way and benefit both patients and pharmacists alike,’ said Kirit Patel, Chief Executive of Day Lewis Pharmacy. ‘ The service is convenient, highly accessible and will make the most out of pharmacists’ skills as experts in medicines while freeing up GPs’ time.’
‘We’re pleased to be working with Day Lewis on this important service and look forward to rolling the service out to many NPA members,’ added Mike Holden, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association. ‘The service plays to the strengths of community pharmacy as an accessible and expert source of medicines supply and advice. It also opens up a new income stream for our members all of whom are operating in a challenging economic environment.
‘The service has been designed to ensure high quality assurance in the service, an audit trail of interventions, management information and a lower risk on financial investment. The NPA has developed leading edge e-training modules to support pharmacist’s knowledge and confidence to deliver.’
The service will be available to all NPA members from January 2013.