Pharmacy Voice welcomes medicines supply guidance as a useful first step

Pharmacy Voice today welcomed best practice guidance developed by the Department of Health supply chain working group, describing the statement that ‘pharmacies should receive medicines within 24 hours’ from their suppliers as “a useful first step”.

The National Pharmacy Association, a member of Pharmacy Voice, has been an active participant in the working group since it was set up in 2010 following a Ministerial summit.

Ian Facer, chairman of Pharmacy Voice and the NPA said:

“This guidance establishes for the first time the principle that pharmacies should receive medicines within 24 hours of ordering them. We would have preferred a stronger obligation on suppliers, however we feel this move is an important first step in supporting patients’ interests.  Community pharmacists on the front line have reported a worsening in the supply situation over recent months.  The guidance is a useful first step, but no silver bullet. We will work with our members to monitor implementation, and will be the first to demand tougher obligations should there be no improvement. The proper course is for everyone involved in the supply chain to continue to co-operate, with all eyes fixed firmly on the needs of patients.” 

Where quotas are used by manufacturers to control the supply of medicines, the guidance states that they must be flexible and equitable.  Currently, quotas are being applied bluntly, causing inconvenience and distress for pharmacists and patients. This means that many patients, sometimes with serious conditions, have had to wait for medicines whilst the pharmacist faxes an anonymised copy of their prescription to prove to the manufacturer that the need is genuine.

Ian Facer added, “This system causes unnecessary workload, delay and anxiety whilst undermining the pharmacist’s professional standing.  The guidance is quite clear that checking of proof of prescription is rarely acceptable”.

Pharmacy Voice will continue to lobby for a sustainable resolution to the situation.   Pharmacists are asked to help monitor the situation and to provide evidence if suppliers are not adopting the best practice guidance, by calling the NPA Information Department or completing a web-based reporting form available at www.npa.co.uk/msc

The NPA is the UK’s leading trade body for community pharmacy.  Its core purpose is to represent, support and protect the interests of all community pharmacy across the UK.The NPA, CCA and AIMp are members of Pharmacy Voice, representing all community pharmacy owners.

For further information, please contact the NPA Press Office on 01727 795901 or 07920 203051, or email communications@npa.co.uk.