NHS Grampian is conducting a review of six dispensing GP practices, and this includes the pharmacy in Portlethen Medical Centre (not Michie’s next door). Here is information from NHS Grampian which has more details …
The review includes a public consultation which runs from today (4 July) to 1 October. The other GP practices affected are Auchenblae, Gardenstown, Rhynie, Skene and Udny Station.
Following the review of dispensing by the Haddo Medical Group completed in 2015, the Grampian NHS Board accepted a recommendation to conduct a review of general practice dispensing across Grampian. This review would assure the Board that, where a medical practice has been required to dispense, this is in line with existing regulations.
The review is triggered by the need to make sure that the Board is continuing to act legally in requiring these GP practices to dispense for their patients. The Board can only legally require a practice to dispense for patients who have a “serious difficulty” in accessing prescribed medicines and appliances from a pharmacy. The term serious difficulty is not defined but the Board can consider the distance to the nearest community pharmacy, issues of communication and other exceptional circumstances.
The review will therefore seek to determine which patients of each of the associated practices continue to have serious difficulty in accessing prescribed medicines and appliances from a pharmacy.
The review will also seek to establish the overall impact of any potential changes on the practices involved with the aim of ensuring sustainability and a cross-system approach.
If you would like copies of an information sheet and/or patient response forms, please contact NHS Grampian’s public involvement team on 01224 558098 who will be happy to provide these.
A link to this consultation on NHS Grampian’s website is at:
www.nhsgrampian.org/involvingyou and by clicking on ’projects and consultations’.
Send your response to: Freepost, NHS Grampian (no stamp is required). If you prefer, email your response to nhsg.involve@nhs.net
The closing date for all responses is 1 October 2016.
Finally, it might be helpful if I add that the dispensary in the centre is permitted to dispense medicines to patients who reside outwith a one mile radius of their nearest pharmacy. The dispensary staff also process repeat prescriptions for all patients.