NPA IN FOCUS


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becoming available to everyone and the revamped Medicine: Care and Review service.


The whole primary care system in Scotland is under review which may affect community pharmacy in the coming years. The NPA will be on hand to support members through these changes.


GPhC plan to raise fees for pharmacy premises The General Pharmaceutical Council’s consultation on the draft 2020 fees rules proposes a 39 per cent increase in registration fees for pharmacy premises. If adopted, the new arrangement would come into place from October 2020.


Scotland Administrative Activity Planner


We cannot possibly support such a steep increase in fees for pharmacy regulation. GPhC says it needs to cover its costs, however pharmacy contractors are bound to ask if the regulator is working as hard as pharmacies themselves to deliver efficiencies.


The first phase of the consultation is now underway until Tuesday 31 March 2020.


To share your views, please contact me or email independentsvoice@npa.co.uk


Member forums Scottish NPA member forums in Glasgow were popular in 2019 and the NPA board also convened in Glasgow.


The forums will rotate around Scotland this year with the first one early in March in Edinburgh.


If you are interested in attending upcoming forums, 2 June, early September and late November, please email me at j.oman@npa.co.uk


Administrative tasks can take many forms – NHS paperwork, local authority requirements, health and safety regulations, pharmacy professional regulation, compliance with employment law, audits, Government initiatives, and so on. NPA Members have regularly fed back the challenge they face in remembering and coordinating all of the administrative activities they need to undertake and are understandably concerned that they may forget an important task. This ‘Administrative Activity Planner’ has been designed to help members manage this challenge and has been created by studying the requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council, NHS Scotland and other stakeholders. The planner has been put together by looking at the requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council and other key administrative requirements for 2019/2020.


Go to www.npa.co.uk/information- and-guidance/administrative- activity-planner-scotland-2/ to view online. Hard copies of the planner are available on request.


Supporting Excellence: resource for Scottish NPA members


The Supporting Excellence resource pack supports members to look strategically at your own business and plan for the future through


60 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST


When I meet members around the country, the same issue keeps popping up – workforce shortages. Like all the pharmacy sectors, community pharmacy is also facing a workforce shortage, although it is geographically variable. Some areas find it harder to recruit than others. The NPA is part of a working group to develop resources on promoting community pharmacy as a career choice, with roles not just for pharmacists but for the whole pharmacy team. Contact me on j.oman@npa.co.uk or call 07538 192588 for more information.


his year will bring significant changes to practice with the Minor Ailments service


Janice Oman


Scotland Representation Manager


Resources for Scottish NPA members The Supporting Excellence resource for Scottish NPA members has been a hit, with many members asking for copies. It is available as hard copy, USB or electronic download to help pharmacy teams plan for the future.


Upskill staff for better GPhC inspection reports


The NPA Administrative Activity Planner has been updated for the financial year 2020/21. This popular resource supports business planning with annual and monthly task lists aligned with the requirements of GPhC, NHS Scotland and employment law.


We have added to the extensive list of available posters for members to download and print locally, including a ‘Pharmacy Services available here’ poster and ‘Collection and Delivery’ service posters suitable for Scottish NPA members.


Staff training grant continued to end of financial year A Scottish Government circular has been released which explains the continuation of the grant available for staff training until Tuesday 31 March 2020.


NPA member forum in March


Each Scottish pharmacy contractor can claim £800, similar to previous arrangements, to support with the cost of permanent staff undertaking NVQ2, NVQ3 or accuracy checking training.


To claim the grant, a copy invoice, registration letter or completion certificate must be submitted to NES by Tuesday 31 March 2020.


If you require any further information on the courses please contact the NPA on 01727 800 402.


This regular free event provides an opportunity to discuss current Scottish pharmacy practice with other contractors and members of the NPA team. The forums are very popular and there are always lively discussions taking place. It’s a great networking opportunity between NPA members and a useful platform to gain information and discuss what matters to independent community pharmacy. If you would like more information about the next Scottish forum in March, have suggestions for the agenda or would like to register, please email j.oman@npa.co.uk.


With the introduction of the pharmacy inspections website, members of the public can easily find information about the pharmacies they use. They can also see how well a pharmacy is performing against five principles which include governance, staff, premises, services and equipment and facilities. The site also features an online ‘knowledge hub’ for the pharmacy team, with examples of excellent, good and poor practice identified through pharmacy inspections. The GPhC analysis shows that investing in staff is a key driver of performance against the standards. The NPA offers flexible learning options to suit training needs. Go to www.npa.co.uk/ learning-and-development for more information, or call me on 07538 192588 to discuss any concerns and how to best prepare for an inspection.


four topics: Quality Improvement, Operating Efficiently, Growing Your Business and You and Your Team. The Supporting Excellence resource pack is available in hard copy and USB by request.


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