On Thursday 26 May at 8pm (GMT) #WeAHPs will be discussing how Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) can maximise the use of medicines legislation for the delivery of high quality, efficient care.  The chat will be co-hosted by Helen Marriott @MarriottHelen

For many people accessing health and care services, AHPs are their lead clinician. Yet, they (AHPs) often do not have access to the appropriate prescribing or supply and administration of medicines mechanisms. In recent years, a wider range of AHPs have been allowed to prescribe or supply and administer medicines. Introducing these changes makes it easier for service users to get access to the medicines that they need in a timely manner so they gain maximum benefit.

Changes in medicineslegislation for AHPs

In July 2012, Ministers announced their agreement to lay amendments to medicines legislation before Parliament that would enable independent prescribing responsibilities to be extended to appropriately qualified physiotherapists and podiatrists/chiropodists. You can read more here.

In February 2016, Ministers approved changes to medicines legislation to enable independent prescribing by therapeutic radiographers, supplementary prescribing by dietitians and the use of exemptions by orthoptists. A summary of the outcomes of the public consultations related to these changes and other supporting documents can be accessed on the NHS England website here.

NHS England is also continuing to work closely with key stakeholders and relevant professional bodies to take forwards proposals for independent prescribing by paramedics and diagnostic radiographers.

Current local arrangements

The current law also allows local arrangements to be developed for professionals without prescribing rights to supply or administer medicines to certain types of patients, in certain circumstances. The following professions are able to administer or supply medicines under a PGD: Chiropodists / podiatrists, Dietitians, Occupational therapists, Orthoptists, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Prosthetists / orthotists, Radiographers, Speech and language therapists.

For further information about medicines and prescribing please see the HCPC website.

Such opportunities for AHPs will enable the development of new roles and new ways of working which will better utilise the resource and therefore support the delivery of safe, effective services that are focused on the user experience whilst also being cost effective.

The North West non-medical prescribing economic evaluation report identifies key service pathways where prescribing could deliver clinical and cost effectiveness. For example, non-medical prescribing Podiatrists in a vascular triage service in the community rather than the patient accessing hospital based services. The heel protection service allows patients to be discharged to structured care in the community therefore reducing admissions, readmissions and length of stay in hospital whilst, in many cases, ensuring the patient gets care closer to home. The report identifies savings approximately between £100-500k for each CCG in the North West.

For some AHPs this is a relatively new development, for others prescribing is a skill they have been utilising for many years.  We would like to use this tweet chat to share insights and experience, opportunities and challenges, attitudes and concerns, towards prescribing and supply/administration of medicines, and how this may develop and improve care.

1. What do the changes in legislation mean for patients?
2. What do the changes in legislation mean for how AHPs deliver care?
3. What are the key priorities to ensuring the potential impact is realised?
4. What is needed to ensure this happens?
5. What has been learnt from the implementation of such changes for other AHP’s e.g. physio’s and podiatrists?
6. What are the future possibilities for other AHP professions?

About the host.

Helen Marriott @MarriottHelen is the AHP Medicines Project Lead at NHS England and has been leading work to extend prescribing, supply and administration of medicines mechanisms to particular groups of AHPs since October 2013. In this role Helen successfully led changes to medicines legislation to enable independent prescribing by therapeutic radiographers, supplementary prescribing by dietitians and the use of exemptions by orthoptist. These changes have significant benefits to care patients receive from these healthcare professionals and will improve patient outcomes, experience and safety through timely access to medicines. Helen continues to work closely with key stakeholders and relevant professional bodies to take forwards proposals for independent prescribing by paramedics and diagnostic radiographers.

Since joining NHS England, Helen has also acted into the position of Deputy Chief Allied Health Profession Officer.

Before joining NHS England, Helen was the Allied Health Professions Lead and Strategic Workforce Development Manager for Health Education East Midlands, providing professional advice and strategic leadership to the 12 allied health professions.

Prior to this role, Helen was the East Midlands Strategic Health Authority AHP lead and a physiotherapy clinical specialist within Rheumatology.

Helen is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, and sits on the Education Committee. She is also a Health and Care Professions Council Partner and physiotherapy panel member at fitness-to-practice hearings.