How does our approach to pharmacist independent prescribing differ from others in the industry?
Our approach is ingrained in a strong commitment to community pharmacy as a central pillar of primary care, the front door to the NHS, and it distinguishes itself through a combination of advocacy, practical support, and a vision for integrated care.
While NHS initiatives have focused on embedding Independent Prescribers within general practice or primary care/PCNs, the NPA champions the integration of pharmacist independent prescribing within community pharmacy.
This reflects a belief that community pharmacists should be empowered to deliver clinical care directly from the heart of their communities, improving patient access and reducing pressure on GPs.
Why do you believe that the NPA are uniquely positioned as the go-to provider in this space?
The NPA Independent Prescribing support is developed based on a wide range of sources and feedback. Not only do we provide practical resources to members, but we are available to discuss queries over the phone and offer face-to-face workshops.
Our highly experienced and knowledgeable in-house pharmacists, which includes active PIPs in practice, use their knowledge and experience to develop resources and support our members. Helping us identify what PIPs in community pharmacy need, using real-life examples and develop practical resources that meet their needs.
We work in collaboration with our colleagues in NPA Insurance, who provide learnings from prescribing incidents and professional indemnity issues. We regularly engage with external stakeholders and the GPhC/regulator provides further insight into good practice examples and learnings from poor prescribing practice, ensuring our advice and guidance meet the expected regulatory standards. We also gather feedback from members who offer NHS and private services to help shape our resources and support packages.
Can you tell us about the structure and key strengths of the NPA Independent Prescribing Support
We have structured our IP support to include: 1-2-1 advice and guidance, created a portfolio of online resources to support IP clinical governance, risk management, and support expanding scope of practice. All of which is available to NPA members via the exclusive Membership hub.
Key strengths include having active PIPs with a wide breadth of experience to garner feedback and input from a wide range of different specialists e.g. regulator and professional indemnity insights.
How do we ensure our programmes stay at the cutting edge of clinical, regulatory, and educational standards?
Using the expertise of in-practice and active PIPs, as well as practicing in academia pharmacist team members. We also continuously visit our members around the UK to gain insights and updates on areas of IP that work well and identify gaps in support.
Our engagement with external stakeholders including NHS organisations and GPhC to help us ensure we are all aligned in our approach to what good looks like in independent prescribing. Internal engagement across the wider NPA business including our learning and development, professional indemnity insurance business as well as member services and lobbying teams help us coordinate all aspect of the Independent Prescribing remit.
From your perspective, what makes you most proud of the NPA’s work in this area?
The NPA has been an active advocate for system-level changes to enable community pharmacists to prescribe more effectively. This includes lobbying for NHS commissioned services that make full use of IP skills, and funding models that support the sustainability of independent prescribing in community settings, including advocating for more training places and designated prescribing practitioners (DPPs) within community pharmacy.
The NPA promotes a collaborative model, encouraging community pharmacists to work with GPs, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. This approach enables shared care pathways and ensures that prescribing is not siloed but part of a broader, patient-centred care model.
Our resources can help new and experienced PIPs in all aspects of delivering well assured and risk managed prescribing services, as well as guide our members right from the start of developing new prescribing services to help support and build their business.
In summary, the NPA’s approach is community pharmacy-first attitude, with policy leadership, and comprehensive support for pharmacists, aligned with the NHS 10-year plan and neighbourhood health. Our vision is a future where independent prescribing in community pharmacy is not just an add-on, but a core function of community pharmacy, delivering accessible, highly clinical, high-quality care to patients in their neighbourhoods.
