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At the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK), as the professional leadership body for pharmacy technicians, we recognise that the updated patient group directions (PGD) legislation (effective 26 June 2024) marks a significant milestone for us as a profession, redefining the scope of practice, our professional responsibilities and the overall delivery of healthcare services.
Historically, PGDs have been a tool to enhance access to medications, streamline patient care, and optimise the utilisation of healthcare professionals’ skills. The new legislation is aimed at expanding and clarifying the use of PGDs, particularly in the context of pharmacy technicians, and this purpose has not changed.
The updated legislation has several significant implications for pharmacy technicians and will impact their daily practice, professional development and career prospects, especially around four key areas:
1. Enhanced role and responsibilities
As pharmacy technicians will play a more integral role in patient care, this will only enhance their contribution to healthcare delivery owing to their ability to supply and administer medications under PGDs. The knock-on effect of this will be that this allows them to take on more responsibilities and work more independently. This can only assist further in the retention of pharmacy technicians and build a robust pharmacy structure as job satisfaction increases along with a greater sense of professional fulfilment.
2. Professional development
The new legislation will require pharmacy technicians who want to work under PGDs to gain new skills and knowledge, particularly in clinical assessment and decision-making, and will therefore give an opportunity for professional growth. This can, in turn, open doors to advanced roles and specialisations within their role.
Pharmacy technicians will be directly contributing to enhanced patient care, and so adding value to the patient journey
3. Improved patient care
Ultimately, the legislation is aimed at improving access to medicines and streamlining patient care processes. This can lead to more timely interventions, reduced wait times and overall better patient experiences and so saving time. Therefore, pharmacy technicians will be directly contributing to enhanced patient care, and so adding value to the patient journey.
4. Collaborative practice
A more integrated approach to patient care is at the heart of PGDs so pharmacy technicians will be working more closely with pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare professionals, facilitating a more holistic approach to patient management. As a result, this can only enhance communication and reduce errors and so add value to the patient journey.
We do recognise that this change in the legislation can bring challenges that need to be considered to ensure successful implementation.
There are three main areas of concern:
1. Training and support
The training required by the legislation will need adequate resources and support. Ensuring that all pharmacy technicians receive the necessary training and that they feel supported to get protected time to complete this without disrupting service delivery will be a significant challenge. This requires good collaboration and communication within their teams.
APTUK can support and lead pharmacy technicians to ensure this happens and is providing its own resources to support this.
2. Maintaining standards
It is also recognised that with the increase in responsibilities, maintaining high standards of practice is crucial. This again requires support and collaboration from teams to provide support systems essential to help pharmacy technicians meet the demands of their expanded roles.
On 6 June 2024, a news bulletin published by Community Pharmacy England (CPE) said: “Whilst the regulatory changes provide the legal basis for pharmacy technicians to begin supplying and administering medicines under PGDs from the end of this month, it is important to note that there can be no immediate change in the provision of community pharmacy services.
“Any updates to services first need to be considered in negotiations and, where agreed, the relevant service directions and specifications would then be amended.”
3. Balancing workloads
It is also recognised that additional responsibilities taken on by pharmacy technicians may impact their workload. Support and collaboration in teams will be needed to manage workloads to prevent burnout and ensure that patient care remains the top priority.
At APTUK, we are excited by the changes in legislation and see that this recognises the valuable contributions of pharmacy technicians to healthcare delivery. Yes, challenges do exist — as they would if any legislation changes — but the overall impact will be positive, enhancing the role of pharmacy technicians in patient care and contributing to a more efficient and effective service.
As time goes by, the focus will be on ensuring that pharmacy technicians are adequately prepared, supported and empowered to embrace their expanded roles and deliver the highest standards of care, adding value to the patient journey. APTUK will be there to support pharmacy technicians every step of the way.
