A new law that would enable pharmacists to spend more time delivering frontline NHS care and help patients to get their medicines more quickly will come into force from Wednesday (7).
The Parliament and the Privy Council had earlier approved the Human Medicines (Authorisation by Pharmacists and Supervision by Pharmacy Technicians) Order 2025, which will come into force in two stages - in January and December.
The new legislation has amended The Medicines Act 1968 and The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to enable pharmacists to deliver more patient-facing clinical services and empower pharmacy technicians to utilise their skills and expertise to the best of their ability.
From January 7, pharmacists will be allowed to authorise any competent member of pharmacy staff to hand out checked and bagged prescriptions when they are taking a break.
Welcoming the new law, Company Chemists Association chief executive Malcolm Harrison said, “Changes to supervision laws provide the basis for the greatest evolution in pharmacy practice for 90 years, freeing up pharmacists to spend greater time with patients and deliver more NHS care.
"The first of these changes – allowing patients to collect their prescribed medicines, that have already been prepared, checked and bagged up and are ready to go – will deliver tangible benefits to patients and pharmacy teams."
Meanwhile, for the second stage, the General Pharmaceutical Council will develop and introduce new regulatory standards for superintendent pharmacists and responsible pharmacists, and rules for responsible pharmacists, which will support the implementation of the new legislation.
The remaining changes will take effect once supporting regulatory rules, standards, and professional guidance have been developed. These will be in place by 10 December 2026.
The changes in the pharmacy supervision laws are the culmination of extensive work done by the CCA dating back to 2018.
This involved initiating work in 2019 with the NPA and IPA, involving the bodies representing pharmacy professionals in 2021, and facilitating the creation of the Supervision Practice Group in 2022.
The group submitted a report in 2023 that represented a unified vision on supervision changes.
