The first stop for professional medicines advice

Pharmacy technicians working under Patient Group Directions

Published Last updated See all updates
Topics: Patient Group DirectionsService advice and planning

Useful resources and further information for pharmacy technicians working under PGDs

Contents
  1. Legislation changes
  2. Pharmacy technicians working under patient group directions – an introduction
    1. Speakers
    2. Webinar
  3. Supporting the use of PGDs in practice
  4. External resources
    1. Educational resources
    2. PGD guidance
  5. Pharmacy technician professional support
  6. Update history

Legislation changes

From 26th June 2024, registered pharmacy technicians in England are able to supply and administer medicines under patient group directions (PGDs), following amendments made to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.

This does not extend to controlled drugs. Supply and/or administration of Controlled Drugs under a PGD contains further information.

Neither does it extend to the use of Written Instructions with Occupational Health Services.  Using written instructions in occupational health services contains further information.

Pharmacy technicians working under patient group directions – an introduction

This resource provides pharmacy technicians with an introduction to patient group directions and signposts to further resources and reading. SPS have worked collaboratively on this resource with NHS England, Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) and the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK.

Speakers

Claire Dearden

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s and NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service National Pharmacy Technician Fellow

Liz Fidler

Senior Professional Advisor Pharmacy Technician Practice, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Office, NHS England

Barbara Parkinson

Advanced Specialist Pharmacy Technician, Medicines Use and Safety Team, SPS

Joanne Nevinson

Senior Pharmacy Professional Learning Development and North West Regional Tutor at CPPE

Nicola Stockmann

President of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK

Webinar

Supporting the use of PGDs in practice

These SPS resources will provide background knowledge on the use of PGDs in practice. To help you decide whether to use a PGD or a different mechanism, see When PGDs can be used and When not to use a PGD.

Must read

Key advice for those getting to grips with PGDs, or who have questions that need answering

PGDs in practice explainer videos

Short videos explaining Patient Group Directions (PGDs) and medicines mechanisms, and their use in practice.

Advice on supply and administration

Certain medicines can be legally administered or supplied using a PGD; whilst other cannot. Our advice guides on legal PGD use from a medicines perspective.

Legal mechanisms to supply and administer medicines to individuals

The main legal mechanisms used to supply and/or administer medicines are explained and considerations suggested for the most appropriate option(s)

Advice by profession and level of competency

Using PGDs legally depends upon the profession and the level of competency. We guide on appropriate application.

Occupational Health Services

We guide through the specific legal mechanisms applicable to medicines and vaccine supply or administration in Occupational Health Services (OHS).

External resources

The below links are for non-SPS resources

Educational resources

PGD guidance

Pharmacy technician professional support

If you need further advice on PGD legislation, development and use in practice in NHS or NHS commissioned services in England, contact SPS at lnwh-tr.sps-pgd@nhs.net

For other medicines advice contact SPS Medicines Advice.

For professional support contact Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK).

Update history

  1. Additional clarification that written instructions in OHS cannot legally include Pharmacy Technicians
  1. Additional link to SPS OHS PGD pages added
  1. Added signposting to PGD articles
  1. Webinar recording and CPPE e-learning programme link added
  1. APTUK resources link updated
  2. Published

Print this page

admin