Chairmans Blog: - Service review?

You may or may not know about an enhanced service - only available in South Tyneside - which we used to call "supervision/daily dispensing of non cd drugs." 

This service has been around for many years and was originally commissioned by the old South Tyneside health authority. It isn't used very often. It is (was) ahead of its time really...the idea is that vulnerable adults identified by the GP/prescriber as needing support daily are sent to the pharmacy with what's known as a "white form" - and a monthly prescription.This avoids the need for daily prescriptions for these very vulnerable members of society - Very useful if patients are at risk of overdose. The pharmacy then dispenses, or supervises, the product daily (or as suggested in the form). 

The pharmacy make a claim for the supplies via a claim pathway. I say it's ahead of its time because it's exactly this sort of service that was identified in the recent "call to a action" - to allow pharmacists to provide better care to patients... 

Sadly there's talk of a service review and this service is currently "on hold" as South Tyneside is an outlier...and since the NHS changes, a budget needs to be found for it to continue. 

So much for innovation...It's this sort of service that should be commissioned everywhere to help vulnerable adults stay out of institutions or prevent accidental or deliberate overdosing...

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