The Pharmaceutical Society NI is inviting comments on draft Standards for the provision of Monitored Dosage Systems (MDS). These Standards outline the professional and legal responsibilities pharmacists have with respect to the provision of MDS to patients.
As a healthcare regulator our primary focus is patient safety and ensuring that patients receive quality care from pharmacists. It is within this context, alongside recent fitness to practise cases involving the provision of MDS, which has led to the development of these Standards.
Chair of the Education, Standards and Registration Committee, Mark Nelson said;
‘The potential benefits to patient convenience and medicines adherence gained by the proper use of monitored dosage systems must be balanced against the requirements of assuring patient safety and welfare.
‘For those pharmacies providing MDS, it is essential that robust systems and procedures are in place to ensure that the process of assembling and supplying medicines in an MDS is as safe as possible and optimal patient care is maintained.
‘It is important that the Standards set out clearly the professional and legal responsibilities pharmacists have with respect to MDS. Therefore, to ensure best practice regarding the provision of MDS to patients, I would encourage all pharmacists to read this consultation document and respond with their views on the new Standards for the provision of MDS.
‘We would also encourage feedback from patients and the public; registrants and potential registrants; employers, professional and representative bodies, and other stakeholders with an interest in these Standards’.
The consultation will run from 18 June 2014 to 10 September 2014.
18 June 2014