Community Pharmacy Scotland has called for “flexibility” in pharmacy’s supervision arrangements “to allow professional judgement to be exercised in the safe supply of medicines from the pharmacy in the absence of a pharmacist” and allow pharmacists “to interact with the patient and the wider primary care multidisciplinary team”.

Scotland’s negotiating body has launched its Vision of the Model of Community Pharmacy Practice in Scotland, to tie in with the Scottish Government strategy, Achieving Excellence in Pharmaceutical Care. It emphasises the need to retain community pharmacy “at the heart of our communities” in Scotland.

The organisation wants to see the “decoupling” of the pharmacist from the technical aspects of medicines supply and also calls for patient registration in pharmacies.

CPS says it is willing to work with the Scottish Government to devise a financial model “that meets our aspirations and provides a fair return on pharmacy owner investment”.