Community Pharmacy England (CPE) yesterday (January 6) revealed that it has been “battling” to ensure that new OPD reforms are “an enabling provision and not mandatory”.
It comes as new rules - which permit pharmacists in England to supply medication different from the prescribed quantity within a 10% margin in its original packaging - came into force last week (January 1).
CPE stressed that pharmacists “must consider if it is reasonable and appropriate to dispense up to 10% more or less than the prescribed quantity” before using the new legislation.
Read more: Pharmacist original pack dispensing permitted from January
“We have been battling to get the details right and ensure…[that] pharmacists can make a professional decision to use the provision or not,” it said.
“You should use your professional judgment to determine the best course of action in each case,” it added.
Read more: OPD change is welcome news - but one vital issue remains unresolved
“Some products, such as schedule 2-4 controlled drugs, will be exempt – the exact quantity on the prescription must be supplied,” CPE said.
“IT system suppliers are now working to implement the OPD +/-10% reimbursement changes…you will not be reimbursed for dispensing up to 10% more or less than the quantity prescribed until your IT system is ready,” CPE added.
“Reasonable not to use”
Meanwhile last week (December 30), Welsh Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPhO) Andrew Evans wrote to contractors saying that amendments to Welsh legislation enabling original pack dispensing also came into force on January 1.
“The flexibilities can be considered from the date the regulations come into force”, he said.
“However, it is reasonable for pharmacists not to use the flexibilities when dispensing prescriptions”, he added.
Read more: ‘Best news ever’ or ‘30 years too late’? Sector reacts to original pack dispensing
“We understand electronic prescription service (EPS) compliant pharmacy system suppliers are preparing changes to enable their systems to support OPD and that the necessary changes will be introduced later in 2025,” he said.
When OPD changes were announced, some pharmacy workers took to social media to celebrate “the best news ever”.
Some commenters said that the reforms would save them “a ton of time counting everyone’s tablets”, as well as making “life easier for patients” who will no longer have blisters of pills in “twos and fours loose in a white box”.
But others stressed that the changes were “about 30 years too late”.
