Growing recognition for pharmacy technicians

There have been several consultations and changes this year resulting in pharmacy technicians’ (PTs) skills becoming more widely recognised by the Government and NHS. Most recently there was a consultation on allowing PTs to supply medicines under a patient group direction.

All the governments across the United Kingdom are signed up to this, although they are at varying stages of readiness. Examples cited in the consultation proposal included administration of vaccines and supply of EHC.

The proposal is that there will be an amendment (through a Statutory Instrument) under enabling powers in the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021. This would enable registered PTs in England, Scotland and Wales to use PGDs in any setting of practice (NHS, voluntary, independent).

Currently in Northern Ireland, PTs are not a registered healthcare profession and so this would have to happen first and then an amendment made to the Human Medicines Regulations.