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We would like to hear from members on a number of fundamental principles affecting community pharmacy, says NPA head of external affairs Stephen Fishwick

THE NPA IS ASKING its members to comment on a set of fundamental principles regarding the 'pharmacist in the pharmacy' and the delegation of tasks to non-pharmacist staff. The intention is that these will frame the NPA's representation to the Department of Health's Rebalancing Programme Board, which is considering a range of matters including pharmacy supervision.

We would like to hear members' thoughts on whether you agree or disagree with the following principles:

€¢ The regulatory framework must permit the profession to move on and deliver services efficiently

€¢ Patient safety, public confidence and ready access to a pharmacist must be regarded as uppermost priorities

€¢ There should be a pharmacist present in a pharmacy throughout the opening hours

€¢ Responsibility and accountability for safe supply should remain with the responsible pharmacist (tasks may be delegated such as assembly of prescriptions and the accuracy check)

€¢ The skills and roles of the whole pharmacy team should be developed, while the professional status and accessibility of the pharmacist is maintained and enhanced, enabling the pharmacist to become more not less visible to patients

€¢ Remote supervision should only be permitted in an emergency situation where it can be demonstrated that there is an overriding patient need to allow acute prescriptions to be assembled, checked and handed out to patients/ representatives. This would be absolutely exceptional and not the rule.

We'd also like to hear from members:

€¢ What tasks you feel could be delegated to competent members of staff in the absence of the responsible pharmacist

€¢ Which tasks, or type of task, you feel should under no circumstances be delegated.

NPA members can email any feedback and thoughts to independentsvoice@npa.co.uk.