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The Government is to lay draft legislation intended to update the current rules on pharmacy supervision and allow support staff to hand patients their medicines. 

The proposed amendments to the Medicines Act 1968 and Human Medicines Regulations 2012, which follow a 2023 public consultation, will enable:

• Trained staff members to hand out prescriptions that have been checked and assembled without a pharmacist present
• Pharmacists to authorise pharmacy technicians to carry out the preparation, assembly, dispensing, sale and supply of medicines themselves and to supervise others doing so
• Pharmacy technicians to supervise the preparation, assembly and dispensing of medicines in hospital aseptic facilities.

The legislation changes are expected to take effect by the end of this year. 

Writing in The I Paper, pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock said: “Currently, a pharmacist must personally supervise every aspect of pharmacy operations, even routine tasks that other qualified team members could safely handle.

“We’re bringing common sense to these outdated rules with robust safeguards, allowing trained staff to hand over checked prescription bags – something that’s already happening through home delivery services.

“For patients, this will mean shorter waiting times, better access to pharmacist advice, and more clinical services available at your local pharmacy.”

Royal Pharmaceutical Society president Claire Anderson said the draft legislation “reflects a more collaborative, team-based approach to pharmacy,” adding that the RPS will work with the GPhC to “shape a future where all members of the pharmacy team are empowered”. 

Malcolm Harrison of the Company Chemists’ Association, which along with other trade bodies and representative organisations published recommendations for supervision in 2023, commented: “The changes have always been intended to develop community pharmacy practice to meet the new challenges it faces and be ready for a more clinical future. 

“This legislation does that, bringing community pharmacy practice into the 21^st century.”