PCA(P)(2023)27 - Addition of Hay Fever PGD to NHS Pharmacy First Scotland
Published: 04/08/23
Purpose
This Circular advises Health Boards and community pharmacy contractors of new Patient Group Directions (PGDs) that are to be added to the NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
Background
NHS Circular PCA (P)(2020) 13, issued on 1 July 2020, enclosed Directions for the Health Board Additional Pharmaceutical Services (NHS Pharmacy First Scotland) Directions 2020 which came into force as of 29 July 2020.
Four common clinical conditions, supported by PGDs, are currently included in the NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service: uncomplicated UTIs, impetigo, shingles and skin conditions.
Detail
The new hay fever PGDs have been signed off by NHS 24 for use in all Health Boards.
Health Boards are responsible for local governance processes to approve, sign and publish these PGDs. Boards are asked to complete this as soon as they can do so and by 31 August 2023 at the latest.
Community pharmacy contractors and pharmacy teams should ensure they are familiar with the new arrangements as detailed below.
Patient Group Directions
Four PGDs have been developed nationally for NHS Pharmacy First Scotland for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever). These PGDs expand the treatments available to people with hay fever symptoms when presenting at a community pharmacy and can be used when current standard treatments have failed to control a person’s symptoms. Each PGD allows for a supply of up to six months and pharmacists should consider choosing the most cost effective product that is clinically appropriate. The PGDs are for the following products:
Beclometasone diproprionate 50micrograms/actuation nasal spray
Fexofenadine 120mg tablets
Mometasone furoate 50micrograms/actuation nasal spray, suspension
Olopatadine 1mg/ml eye drops
The attachment to this circular provides copies of the specimen PGDs which have been approved by NHS 24 to allow pharmacists as much time as possible to familiarise themselves with the relevant details. In the meantime, as local governance procedures must be followed even when a PGD is agreed nationally, Health Boards will each approve, sign and publish these PGDs through the appropriate channels.
Individual authorisation forms should be completed by pharmacists delivering NHS Pharmacy First Scotland and submitted to each Health Board area that they work in according to the usual process.
Training
Community pharmacy contractors should ensure that pharmacists complete the e-learning module for seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever), now available on the NES
TURAS Learn website at:
IT Update
All Patient Medication Record (PMR) suppliers have confirmed that pharmacy IT software, updated to support pharmacy teams to deliver the new common clinical condition, is now visible on PMR systems. However, pharmacy teams should only begin to submit claims once the PGDs have been implemented in their local area and they have signed and submitted the authorisation form.
Claims should only be submitted through the PGD option on UCF if the person has been assessed for potential supply of a PGD hay fever product. All other claims relating to consultations for hay fever should be submitted as a standard PFS claim.
