Pharmacy technicians can supply medicines under PGDs from end of this month

There will be no immediate change in the provision of community pharmacy services

New amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations will soon allow registered pharmacy technicians to supply and administer medicines under Patient Group Directions (PGDs).

Laid before Parliament at the end of May, the legislative changes will come into effect from June 26, 2024, the Community Pharmacy England (CPE) announced today.

The introduction of this new legislation follows an announcement made by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) earlier this year.

The regulatory adjustments provide the legal framework for pharmacy technicians to engage in the supply and administration of medicines under PGDs in the course of their professional practice. However, there will be no immediate change in the provision of community pharmacy services, the CPE noted

“Any updates to services first need to be considered in negotiations and, where agreed, the relevant service directions and specifications would then be amended,” it added.

Gordon Hockey, Community Pharmacy England's Director of Legal Affairs, commented, “As the clinical skills of community pharmacists are put to greater use through services such as Pharmacy First, it is important to ensure that pharmacies can make best use of skill mix across the whole team.”

The DHSC conducted a consultation on the use of PGDs by pharmacy technicians last year, which the Committee responded to positively.

CPE noted that this development, coupled with proposed legislative changes in the Supervision Consultation (the outcome of which is still pending), will enable pharmacy technicians to fully utilise their skills and knowledge.

Malcolm Harrison, CEO of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), highlighted that this move is significant in adapting the workforce to meet future needs.

“The CCA has long campaigned in favour of pharmacy technicians being allowed to supply and administer medicines using Patient Group Directions (PGDs).

“We are delighted this change has come through which will further harness the skills of registered pharmacy technicians, who already play an integral role in community pharmacy. This is an important step in changing the workforce to reflect the needs of the future and offers a route to increasing vital future clinical capacity.

Empowering the workforce to move into the future and meet patient needs is a great first step,” he said.

He further urged NHS England to commission services ambitiously, along with providing additional funding, so that the sector can benefit from this change.