The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) responded to NHS England’s consultations around proposals to amend the medical entitlements of six HCPC professions.
If implemented, these changes will: allow clinical scientists, biomedical scientists and operating department practitioners (ODPs) to supply and administer medicines using a Patient Group Direction; extend the list of controlled drugs which can be independently prescribed by podiatrists and physiotherapists; and extend the list of controlled drugs which paramedics can administer under exemptions to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
The proposed changes for all professions would require amendments to both the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMR) and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, before registrants can use these in practice. For this to happen, a formal recommendation must be made to Ministers by an advisory body and passed by Parliament. HCPC will keep registrants updated as this progresses.
HCPC’s submissions fully support these proposed changes, which have the potential to result in a number of benefits for both service users and our registrants, through more streamlined and timelier provision of treatment and care.
For all professions, further post-registration training will be required to ensure registrants continue to practise safely and effectively within their specific scope of practice. HCPC also makes clear that professionals will need to ensure that their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities can evidence their knowledge, skills and experience where their scope of practise may broaden with these changes.