2025/03/06 by David H. Reissner · 1 voice
Health Professions · #Ethics in medical practice #Medical Malpractice and Liability Issues #Nursing Roles and Practices
paper · doi:10.1093/ijpp/riaf019
openalex publication_date 2025/03/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
In the UK, the Medicines Act 1968 and the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, create a legal framework for pharmacy practice. Many features within this framework revolve around a requirement for supervision by a pharmacist. These features include the manufacture and assembly of medicines in a pharmacy, and the supply of medicines (other than medicines that can also safely be sold from retail outlets that are not pharmacies). In 2023, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) launched a consultation on proposals to change the law. Under these proposals, pharmacists would be freed up to spend more time on clinical services by being able to authorize pharmacy technicians to supply medicines. In turn, pharmacy technicians would be authorized to supervise the manufacture or supply of medicines by others. The consultation paper [1] acknowledges: As supervision is not defined in legislation, and there is relevant case law in this area, it is recognised that there is some disagreement as to what the law currently requires in terms of ‘supervision’.