Published: 11/02/21

Circular PCA(P)(2021)03 sets out the detail of the Directions and Service Specification for the Medicines: Care & Review service.

Background

The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2018/19 included the commitment:

• We are also strengthening and refreshing the Chronic Medication Service in order [to] improve how it enables community pharmacists to provide personalised care for people with stable long-term conditions. In the coming months we will say more about how the shape of this service will be enhanced by building in medication review, pharmacist prescribing and monitoring of patient medicines.

The intention is to make some key improvements to how the existing Chronic Medication Service (CMS) service operates and rename it the Medicines: Care and Review Service.

NHS Circular PCA(P)(2011)8, issued on 16 May 2011, enclosed the Health Board Additional Pharmaceutical Services (Chronic Medication Service) (Scotland) Directions 2011 (“2011 Directions”) which revoked and replaced the Health Board Additional Pharmaceutical Services (Chronic Medication Service) (Scotland) Directions 2010 issued by NHS Circular PCA (P)(2010)10. The 2011 Directions will be revoked and replaced by the new Health Board Additional Pharmaceutical Services (Medicines: Care and Review Service) (Scotland) Directions 2021 (“MCR Directions”) attached at Annex A, which come into force on 12 February 2021.

Details

The Directions provide the legal framework for the provision and operation of the Medicines: Care and Review service, which will be further developed over the coming years. The Service Specification sets out guidance on how the service should be provided by community pharmacy contractors. Both documents should be read in conjunction with this circular, the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009/183, the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020/420 and the NES training resources as detailed below in paragraphs 9 and 10.