Published: 11/08/20

Introduction

This circular informs NHS Boards and community pharmacy contractors of the intention to establish a combined National Foundation Programme and Independent Prescriber (IP) Career Pathway for community pharmacists. It also describes the terms of a Pharmacist Independent Prescriber-led common clinical conditions service (NHS Pharmacy First Plus) for which funding will be available for contractors able to deliver it from September 2020. This circular sets out the details for the financial year 2020-21 with the intent being to continually expand this work in subsequent years.

Background

This career pathway aims to maximise the pharmacists’ expertise in medicines and, with the introduction of the new NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service, the opportunity for pharmacists to enhance the patients’ care will further develop. Increasing the number of IPs and establishing the core use of the IP qualification in the community setting will enhance the pharmacy networks’ role in the clinical pathway of patients and reduce the number of Patient Group Directions needed.

Over the course of 2020/21, work will be undertaken to both plan a funding stream for contractors who support early years pharmacists in completing the NES Foundation programme and to increase the capacity of the programme for community pharmacists – the intention being that the first funded cohort register to start training in September 2021.

Those successfully completing the Foundation course will then transition onto a fully funded Independent Prescribing course. 5. There will be separate entry streams for qualified Community Pharmacists wishing to gain their Independent Prescribing qualification and for Independent prescribers wishing to undertake Common Clinical Conditions training. These will be communicated at a later date.

Initially, the core use of the Independent Prescribing qualification in the community pharmacy setting will be for the management of acute common clinical conditions in an extension to the newly launched NHS Pharmacy First Scotland (NHS Pharmacy First Plus). To support this vision, this circular includes a service specification and details of associated funding which are available to all contractors able to deliver a service as described.

The intention is to grow and nurture both this extended service and the independent prescribers delivering it in a gradual, supportive manner. This will rely on strong ongoing communication within local primary care networks to make clear individual competence, confidence and capacity with respect to conditions treated as this will not be uniform in the early years of qualification.

From September 2020, A proportion of the £1.3million non-global sum will be repurposed towards funding educational infrastructure to support this joint Scottish Government and CPS strategy of increasing the number of independent prescriber workforce within the community pharmacy setting. Pro-rata funding for April-August 2020 will cover the operations of existing IP clinics, with a view to these winding down or transitioning to local funding.

Scottish Government and CPS have also set aside a £3.3m budget in the Global Sum allocation for 2020-21 to support pharmacy contractors who have existing IPs and who confirm that they will provide the service outlined in Annex A: Service Specification.

Full details of funding distribution for subsequent years have not yet been agreed, but it has been agreed that this policy aim will continue to be supported and developed over the long term.

Detail

NHS Boards will already have commissioned initial community pharmacist supplementary and independent prescribing clinics for 2020/21. The table below sets out the amount that can be drawn down by each NHS Board this financial year for the purposes of winding these clinics down or supporting their transition to local funding. This has been based on the 2019-20 NRAC assigned to each Board. The amount available will be £415,000. The remaining £885,000 will be used to fund the necessary supporting educational infrastructure, IP university courses and Common Clinical Conditions training.

Action

NHS Boards should share a copy of this Circular and bring it to the attention of community pharmacy contractors, local pharmacy committees and Health and Social Care Partnerships.

Scottish Government and CPS have set aside a £3.3m budget in the Global Sum allocation for 2020-21 to support pharmacy contractors who have existing IPs and who confirm that they will provide the service that is detailed in Annex A: Service specification.

Subsequent Financial Years up to and including 2023-24

The full £1.3m non-Global Sum will be allocated to the educational infrastructure.

Community pharmacy Scotland have been consulted on the content of this circular. NHS Boards are asked to note the contents of this note and to copy to all community pharmacy contractors and the Area Pharmaceutical Committee for information.