NHS:
PCA (P) (2014) 8
Finance, eHealth & Pharmaceuticals DirectoratePharmacy and Medicines Division /
St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DGwww.scotland.gov.uk /
NHS:
PCA (P) (2014) 8
Dear Colleague
Community Pharmacist: Supplementary and Independent Prescribing Clinics: Funding for 2014-15
Summary
1. This Circular advises of funding available to NHS Boards for the provision of community pharmacist supplementary and independent prescribing clinics for 2014-15.
Detail
2. NHS Circular PCA (P) (2013) 19, issued on 19 July 2013 advised of funding to be made available to NHS Boards in 2013-14. It is noted that on current projections not all of the funds made available will have been drawn down by Health Boards by 31 March 2014.
3. £1 million is again available for 2014-15 to Boards who can demonstrate:
· plans for the fair deployment through community pharmacy contractors between appropriately qualified community pharmacists and;
· plans for the evaluation of the clinics which they plan to support.
4. To ensure that Boards have access to a fair share of funding the NRAC (NHS Resource Allocation Committee) formula has been applied to the total sum available, taking into account recent NHS Board boundary changes between NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
5. Annex A details the target amount of funding which may be made available to each Board for 2014-15.
13 May 2014
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Addresses
For action
Chief Executives, NHS Boards
For information
Chief Executive, NHS NSS
Director of Practitioner Services, NHS NSS
NHS Directors of Finance
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Enquiries to:
Shelagh Scott
Pharmacy & Medicines Division
1st Floor East Rear
St Andrew's House
EDINBURGH
EH1 3DG
Tel: 0131 244 2597
email:
www.scotland.gov.uk
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St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DGwww.scotland.gov.uk / PCA (P) (2014) 8
6. Boards should consider the range of clinics provided taking into account the following:
- where possible clinics extending to multiple morbidities tailored to the needs of the area should be supported
- local programmes should maximise the use of expertise across all pharmacists who have obtained the relevant qualification
- from 1 July 2014 Boards should no longer fund Smoking Cessation Clinics from this allocation as the PHS Smoking Cessation Service is in the process of being extended to include the provision of Varenicline.
- consideration should be given wherever practical to funding mainstream Drug Misuse Clinics from recurring funding lines and in that context Health Boards should take account of savings available as a consequence of Tariff prices for methadone solution which came into effect from April 2014.
7. Funding for supplementary and independent prescribing clinics is provided via the non-discretionary budget for Pharmaceutical Services. No formal allocation will be issued but funds to the level finally approved may be called down by Health Boards. Should more or less funding be required please provide detail to Shelagh Scott.
8. Community Pharmacy Scotland has been consulted on the terms of this circular.
Action required
9. Health Boards should by Friday 6 June confirm to;
Shelagh Scott
Pharmacy & Medicines Division
1st Floor East Rear
St Andrew's House
EDINBURGH
EH1 3DG
email:
· their disbursement plans for the target sums proposed in the Annex detailing the number of clinics proposed, the number of pharmacists involved and the services to be provided
· Health Boards may also offer reserve proposals so that in the event that other Health Boards do not have plans to draw down their full allocation any released funds can be reassigned to Boards with more advanced plans both at the start of the year or later if any Board projects an underspend in year.
· Boards’ co-operation with the timescale is invited to ensure this process is completed as quickly as possible
· once all Board plans are received and have been evaluated final target funding levels for each Board will be confirmed. Clinics commissioned by Boards before then will be at boards’ own risk
· Boards will also be required to monitor their spending during the year and to advise SG in advance if any underspend is likely so that any available funds can be reallocated to Boards with stand by projects
· finally Boards should provide by 31 March 2015 a short report on the clinics actually provided including lessons learnt for the development of community pharmacy in the context of a Prescription for Excellence.
10. NHS Boards are asked to:
· Copy this Circular to all General Practitioners and Community Pharmacy Contractors, on their local lists and to Community Health Partnerships and the Area Pharmaceutical Committee for information.
Yours sincerely
Bill Scott
Chief Pharmaceutical Officer
PCA (P) (2014) 8
Deputy Director
Pharmacy & Medicines Division
ANNEX A
The table below shows the target amount for each Board available in 2014-15.
These amounts are provisional and may only be drawn down following completion of the process detailed in the foregoing Circular.
NHS BOARD / CONFIRMED FUNDING (£)Ayrshire & Arran / 75,000
Borders / 21,100
Dumfries & Galloway / 30,100
Fife / 67,900
Forth Valley / 54,500
Grampian / 97,700
Greater Glasgow & Clyde / 241,700
Highland / 64,900
Lanarkshire / 109,500
Lothian / 143,600
Orkney / 4,900
Shetland / 4,800
Tayside / 77,300
Western Isles / 7,000
Total / 1,000,000