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MINUTE of MEETING of the
AREA PHARMACEUTICAL COMMITTEE
Board Room, Assynt House /
31 March 2008 – 10.00 am
PresentDr David Raeburn (Chair)
Ms Fiona Nicholas
Mr Andrew Paterson
Mr Thomas Ross
Ms Fiona Thomson (via video link)
In AttendanceMs Mary Morton
Mr Peter Mutton
Ms Sharon Pfleger
Mrs Sue Blackhurst, Board Committee Administrator
1WELCOME AND APOLOGIES
Dr Raeburn welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies were received from Ms Catherine Beaton, Prof John Cromarty, Mr Gareth Dixon, Mr Alex Kelso and Mr Ian Rudd. Disappointment was expressed regarding the continued number of apologies. It was noted that Mr Scott Nicol had resigned his membership due to the change in his role with effect from 1 April 2008. -Dr Raeburn suggested, and it was agreed, that the meeting should continue, particularly to receive Ms Pfleger’s presentation, and to ratify agreements made today, at the next quorate meeting.
2MINUTE OF MEETING OF 28 JANUARY 2008
The Committee present had no comments to make on the minute of the last meeting held on 28 January 2008, and agreed to ratify these at the next quorate meeting.
The Committee:- Noted the position.
3MATTERS ARISING OR ONGOING
3.1Changes to the Supply of Pfizer Medicines
Those members present agreed that the status quo will remain with regard to the supply of medicines by this company and that any possible amendment to the delivery schedule was outwith practitioners’ control. It was therefore suggested, and agreed by those present, that this item be removed from the agenda. However, should the situation substantially change, it would be reviewed.
The Committee:- Noted the position.
- Agreed to remove the item from the Agenda
3.2Membership of the Area Pharmaceutical Committee
Much discussion took place on possible ways to promote attendance at Committee meetings. Mechanisms to reduce the number of quorate members were discussed but these were reported to be lengthy processes with the Highland NHS Board standing orders. It was also felt that any reduction in the number of members contributing to the qurorum would diminish the effectiveness of representation from the widest possible spectrum of pharmaceutical colleagues. It was suggested at the last meeting that a letter be sent to independent contractors asking for nominations for co-option onto the Committee. In the absence of the Professional Secretary, it was unclear whether this action was taken.
Ms Morton advised that Clare Morrison had now taken up her post as CHP Lead Pharmacist for the North Highland CHP and was now eligible to be co-opted onto the Committee as an NHS employee. The situation with regard to representatives of multiple companies was more complex. Dr Raeburn agreed to liaise with the representative from the Company Chemists Association at the HPCC meeting later in the day.
Amongst other issues discussed to encourage greater attendance was the possibility of evening meetings, but this was not thought viable because of the traveling times of some members and the possible difficulties with securing video links outwith normal office hours. However, use of video technology should be emphasised for the present schedule of meetings.
It was suggested and agreed by those present that committee membership should be a full agenda item at the next meeting and that consideration should be given to conducting a survey amongst members to gather views on committee meetings. This would encompass such issues as the timing of meetings and whether another day of the week would be preferable. Once members had been canvassed for their views, consideration should be given to altering the schedule of meetings for the following year if it was appropriate to do so. Another issue to be explored was the usefulness of the Committee, bearing in mind that the Committee was a Professional Advisory Committee to the Highland NHS Board and had certain statutory obligations.
The Committee:- Reviewed itsmembership.
- Re-identified prospective new members.
- Noted the proposals to encourage greater attendance at Committee meetings.
- Agreed to discuss Committee membership further at its next meeting.
- Agreed to co-opt Clare Morrison onto the Committee.
- Agreed to check the position with the Professional Secretary concerning approaching independent contractors with regard to possible co-option onto the Committee.
3.4Pharmacy Risk Register
In the absence of Professor Cromarty, Ms Morton advised that work is progressing on the Pharmacy Risk Register. It was reported that Mr Ron Ward, who has wide pharmacy knowledge from his previous role, had been seconded to work with Prof Cromarty as Pharmacy Project Manager in relation to the work around the Accountable Officer for Controlled Drugs.
The Committee- Agreed that it would be appropriate for the Committee to comment on the Risk Register only when it was in a consultable format.
3.5Health Act 2006: Consultation on Regulations relating to the Responsible Pharmacist
It was reported that there were no further comments on this matter as the consultation phase had now ended.
The Committee- Noted the position.
4NEW COMMUNITY PHARMACY CONTRACT
4.1Pharmaceutical Care Services Plan
Ms Morton stated that she had no further update to offer further to the previous meeting.
The Committee- Noted the position.
4.2Update on the nCPC Implementation Group
Ms Morton advised that the frequency of the Local Implementation Group meetings had been reduced to six-monthly due to poor attendances at previous meetings and the view held locally that as the implementation of the new contract was being directed from the Scottish Government Health Directorate, there was little opportunity for local influence over the implementation. Ms Morton did, however, believe that this group could evolve into the Pharmaceutical Care Services Plan Steering Group in due course. It was also reported that IT problems were delaying the implementation in other areas. It was suggested, and agreed by those present, to keep this item on the agenda, combined with Item 4.1, but renamed as ‘Community Pharmacy Implementation’.
The Committee- Noted the position.
- Agreed to keep this item on the Agenda, combined with Item 4.1, but renamed as ‘Community Pharmacy Implementation’.
5PANDEMIC INFLUENZA OUTBREAK
Ms Pfleger gave a very comprehensive presentation on the issues surrounding any possible Pandemic Influenza outbreak and the risks and implications for NHS Highland. Handouts of the factual elements of the presentation are appended to these minutes for further information.
Some of the main risks for Highland were:
- The serious risk of considerable interruption to pharmacy services, both in respect of difficulties with accessing sufficient pharmaceutical products and in the diminished numbers of staff to provide these services, who may be ill themselves or caring for those that are unwell.
- Highland has more poultry farms than in the rest of Scotland, and greater numbers of the population having small holdings with poultry, due to Highland’s rural geography.
- Public information / perception around anti-virals being given to prevent transmission of influenza to others and not to reduce symptoms.
- The effects of social distancing through closure of schools and workplaces, and the banning of public gatherings to prevent transmission to others.
Ms Pfleger advised that she is working towards pharmacy staff being issued with personal, protective equipment (PPE), particularly community pharmacy staff who could be seen as front line staff in such an outbreak.
Mr Mutton has attended national level planning meetings and advised that Community Pharmacy Scotland has been involved through Alex MacKinnon. Ms Pfleger enquired as to how the local planning groups could include representation from the Committee, but it was thought that this issue would be best discussed through the HPCC meeting later in the day.
Dr Raeburn thanked Ms Pfleger for her thorough presentation which had given the Committee much to consider. However, it was noted that the examples quoted by Ms Pfleger were ‘worst case scenarios’. Ms Pfleger also suggested that she could re-present this item to a fuller Committee, if required.
The Committee:- Noted the presentation.
- Noted the challenges that would be faced during a Pandemic Influenza outbreak.
6STRATEGY FOR NON-MEDICAL PRESCRIBING
Mr Ross outlined the contents of the Non-Medical Prescribing Strategy document which had been recently ratified by the Area Drug & Therapeutics Committee. Mr Mutton welcomed the policy document and will proceed to discuss the contents with hospital staff within his area of responsibility. Mr Ross also referred to the Policy for Non-Medical Prescribing that had been circulated electronically for consultation, and outlined the main issues of this supporting document. Mr Ross requested that all comments on this latter document be remitted to him by 30 April 2008. Subject to further ratification at the next quorate meeting, the Committee endorsed the Policy and Procedure for Non-Medical Prescribing as it stands at present.
The Committee:- Noted the position with regard to the Non-Medical Prescribing Strategy.
- Demitted to Committee members to remit comments on the Policy and Procedure for Non-Medical Prescribing before 30 April 2008.
- Endorsed the present Policy and Procedure for Non-Medical Prescribing, document subject to ratification at the next quorate meeting.
7APPLICATIONS FOR INCLUSION IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL LIST
Ms Morton confirmed that no new applications had been received for inclusion in the Pharmaceutical List and that there was no further update with regard to the application by Gaelphram Ltd for premises in Broadford, Isle of Skye.
The Committee- Noted the position.
8REPORTS
In addition to the reports circulated, Mr Mutton advised that a newly appointed Rotational Pharmacist had taken up post on 31 March 2008. It was hoped that the Raigmore Hospital Pharmacy would soon be up to establishment level for rotational pharmacists if the present recruitment process was successful. The Pharmacy was again re-advertising for a vacant rotational technician post.
Ms Morton confirmed her advice given earlier in these minutes whereby it was reported that Clare Morrison had taken up her appointment as CHP Lead Pharmacist for the North Highland CHP.
There were no other comments on the reports.
The Committee- Noted the position.
9COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED
The Committee- Noted that no communications had been received.
10AOCB
10.1Availability of Minutes on NHS Highland Website
Ms Morton had been asked to raise the issue of why minutes of the meetings were not available on the NHS Highland website. In response, Mrs Blackhurst advised that e-Health had demitted this function to Committee Administrators and that, regrettably, a lack of available working hours had precluded these actions taking place, but it was hoped to restart this as soon as reasonably practicable.
11DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held on Monday, 26 May 2008 at 10:00 in the Board Room, Assynt House, Inverness. Video conferencing facilities will be available, if required.
The meeting concluded at 11:50
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