The DHSC is taking forward legislation to “address medication errors, improve patient safety and strengthen and clarify governance arrangements in registered pharmacies.”

On 19 June 2018, the Department of Health and Social Care, on behalf of the 4 UK health departments, published a UK-wide consultation seeking comments and views on a series of proposals linked to 2 draft orders:

  • the draft Pharmacy (Preparation and Dispensing Errors – Hospital and Other Pharmacy Services) Order 2018

  • the draft Pharmacy (Responsible Pharmacists, Superintendent Pharmacists etc.) Order 2018

The publication of this consultation report and laying of the above draft legislation before Parliament was deprioritised as the government faced the dual challenges of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and Brexit preparation. 

These legislative changes are now being taken forward under the powers in section 60 of the Health Act 1999 as:

  • the draft Pharmacy (Preparation and Dispensing Errors – Hospital and Other Pharmacy Services) Order 2022

  • the draft Pharmacy (Responsible Pharmacists, Superintendent Pharmacists etc.) Order 2022

The Government said:

“These draft orders will support wider work being taken by the government, the NHS and the devolved administrations to address medication errors, improve patient safety and strengthen and clarify governance arrangements in registered pharmacies.

“Following consideration of the consultation responses and deliberation by the Rebalancing Programme Board, the department has agreed the amendments to the draft RP and SP Order in respect of the removal of ‘handled’ from the legal drafting setting out when an RP must be in charge of the pharmacy.”

Subject to approval by ministers and Parliamentary time, the draft Pharmacy (Preparation and Dispensing Errors – Hospital and Other Pharmacy Services) Order 2022 and the draft Pharmacy (Responsible Pharmacists, Superintendent Pharmacists etc.) Order 2022 together with this report on the consultation will be laid before the UK Parliament in accordance with the affirmative resolution procedure.