NHS Care Services

Local Services

Community Pharmacy Contractors are providing a rangeof additional services many of which are pertinent to the needs of their local Health Board.

An NHS circular originally released in 1997 paved the way for the local negotiation of additional services in five areas:

• Advice to Residential Homes

• Dispensing of Methadone for Drug Users

• Domiciliary Oxygen Service

• Needle Exchange Services

• Disposal of Patients’ Unwanted Medicines

The circular and subsequent changes to the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) regulations allowed NHS Boards to be empowered to negotiate locally with respect the remuneration levels for these pharmaceutical services.

From the 1st of April 1999 it also became a requirement of Health Boards to negotiate locally for:

• out of hours rotas

• collection and delivery services

Advice to Residential Homes

Good practice guidance section 1 for this service was completed by the Scottish Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s group. Different service specifications and claim mechanisms may be present in each NHS Board. Contractors who wish to provide the service as they support the dispensing for a care home should speak to their local NHS Board.

Dispensing and/or supervision of Methadone for Drug Users

Good practice guidance section 4 for this service was completed by the Scottish Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s group. Different service specifications and claim mechanisms may be present in each NHS Board. Contractors who wish to provide the service should speak to their local NHS Board.

Domiciliary Oxygen Service

Details of the services contracted for by the Domiciliary Oxygen Service are contained within the drug tariff part 10. Since the changeover to the locally negotiated arrangements the service was expanded to include a portable oxygen cylinder service.

A review of the oxygen service is currently being undertaken by the Scottish Government and further information on the service will be posted as appropriate.

Needle Exchange

Good practice guidance section 4 for this service was completed by the Scottish Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s group. Different service specifications and claim mechanisms may be present in each NHS Board. Contractors who wish to provide the service should speak to their local NHS Board.

Disposal of Unwanted Medicines

NHS Boards are required by the Scottish Government to provide a service whereby patients are able to return unwanted medicines to their community pharmacy. Once collected the Health Board is responsible for ensuring its collection and disposal by incineration.

Changes in waste legislation have occurred over the last few years and contractors may contact their Health Board for advice on the safe disposal of unwanted medicines. The original good practice guidance prepared by the Scottish Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s group may have been superseded in part by changes in legislation.