PGDs & independent prescribing

PGDs and independent prescribing are particularly important in the management of infective conjunctivitis because they allow community pharmacists to move beyond the limitations of OTC licensing and deliver timely, complete episodes of care within the pharmacy setting.

Many antibacterial eye drops used for infective conjunctivitis are not licensed for OTC supply, despite being recommended in clinical guidance for specific patient groups or presentations.

However, while national templates may exist, PGDs are commissioned locally and authorisation rests with local commissioning bodies. This explains variation in service availability across the UK.

Independent prescribing represents the next stage in the evolution of conjunctivitis management. Unlike PGDs, independent prescribing allows pharmacists to apply their clinical judgement without reliance on predefined criteria, enabling a full clinical assessment, diagnosis, prescribing and follow-up within one consultation.

Independent prescribing also supports stronger antimicrobial stewardship by allowing pharmacists to withhold antibiotics when they are not clinically indicated, select alternative treatments, or review and amend therapy if symptoms do not resolve.