Patient group directions
{{Short description|Medico-legal documents in the UK}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2021}}
Patient Group Directions (PGDs) are medico-legal documents in the U.K. National Health Service that permit the supply of prescription-only medicines to groups of patients, without individual prescriptions.{{cite web|title=Patient Group Directions {{!}} Guidance and guidelines|url=https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mpg2|publisher=NICE|date=March 2017}} The first digital version of an authorised PGD was created by the pharmacist Wojtek Michael Bereza.{{Cite web|title=About us|url=https://voyagermedical.com/about-us/|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Voyager Medical|language=en-US}}
Legal requirements details
As defined by the Human Medicines Regulations 2012,{{Cite web |title=Legislation.gov |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1916/contents/made}} a PGD must include:
- the name of the business who owns the direction
- the start and end date of the PGD
- a description of the medicine(s)
- the class of the health professional who can supply or administer the medicine
- a signature of a doctor or dentist (as appropriate) and a pharmacist
- authorisation by an appropriate organisation: Authorising PGDS
- the clinical condition or situation to which the direction applies (eg the specified condition/conditions that can be treated)
- a description of patients excluded from treatment under the direction
- a description of when you should get more advice from a doctor (or dentist, as appropriate) and arrangements for referral
- details of appropriate dosage, maximum total dosage, quantity, pharmaceutical form and strength, route and frequency of administration, and minimum or maximum period to administer the medicine
- relevant warnings, including potential adverse reactions
- details of any necessary follow-up actions
- a statement of the records to be kept for audit purposes
Healthcare practitioner usage
Only qualified, registered healthcare professionals can supply medicines under PGD, these include:{{Cite web |title=Patient group directions: who can use them |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/patient-group-directions-pgds/patient-group-directions-who-can-use-them |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}
- chiropodists and podiatrists
- dental hygienists
- dental therapists
- dieticians
- midwives
- nurses
- occupational therapists
- optometrists
- orthoptists
- orthotists and prosthetists
- paramedics
- pharmacists
- physiotherapists
- radiographers
- speech and language therapists