NHS North West Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Harmonisation of Accreditation.

Harmonisation of Accreditation for
Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services

HAG News – December 2009

• HAG has recently published a new Competencies and Training Framework for “Care Home – Medicines Governance Services” (see below).

• HAG has revised and re-published the Competencies and Training Framework for:
o Emergency Hormonal Contraception Service
o Supervised Consumption of Prescribed Medicines

• The rest of the Competencies and Training Frameworks developed by HAG in 2007 are currently under review and will be posted on this website as soon as they are approved.
 

 Contents

1. About HAG
2. Background to the Harmonisation of Accreditation Group
3. Competencies and Training Frameworks
4. HAG Minutes
5. Support Documents
6. HAG Regional Representatives
7. HAG Contact details
 

1.  About HAG

The HAG was set up in 2006 under the auspices of NHS North West in response to requests by NW PCT Pharmaceutical Advisers and Local Pharmaceutical Committees and has been quoted as an example of good practice in both the Pharmacy White Paper and the Galbraith Report.

Originally a NW Task Group, the HAG now includes representatives from all regions in England and has the support of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. As well as PCTs, LPCs and SHA representatives, the HAG also includes representation from many national organisations including the Company Chemists Association, National Pharmaceutical Association, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education and Primary Care Contracting.

HAG Aims and Objectives
HAG aims to reduce obstacles to the continuity and timely provision of Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services thereby improving patient access. Furthermore, HAG aims to ensure that a consistently high quality Pharmacy Enhanced Service provision exists across PCTs and hence improved patient safety. The impact of HAG is reduced workload for PCTs and Community Pharmacists in establishing and maintaining Enhanced Services.

What does HAG do?
To achieve its aims and objectives, the HAG:
• Develops “Competencies and Training Frameworks” for individual Enhanced Services which outline the purpose and design of suitable local training and promotes these to PCTs as the standard for future accreditation requirements when commissioning such services.
• Promotes reciprocal accreditation and re-accreditation to all PCTs ensuring that every PCT has the opportunity to engage with the HAG initiative.
• Secures PCTs’ agreement that HAG accredited Community Pharmacists are recognised to provide specific Enhanced Services.

HAG has produced and published Competencies and Training Frameworks for a range of Enhanced Community Pharmacy Services (see below) with more currently in development:

The Department of Health is considering how best to roll out the Harmonisation of Accreditation process across the whole of England in accordance with the recommendations of the Pharmacy White Paper. 

For further information regarding the work of HAG please contact either:

Gail Curphey - Associate Director Medicines Management & Pharmacy,
Central & Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust.  
Tel: 01606 544421 gail.curphey@cecpct.nhs.uk 

Clive Moss-Barclay - Project Director, North West Pharmacy Workforce,
NHS North West
Tel: 0161 212 6042  clive.moss-barclay@salford.nhs.uk
 

2.  Background to the Harmonisation of Accreditation Group

• NW HAG Terms of Reference  - August 2006
• HAG Briefing Paper  – October 2008

3.  Competencies and Training Frameworks

• Smoking Cessation Service Vs 1  (May 2007)
• Needle and Syringe Exchange Service Vs 1 (June 2007)
• Minor Ailments Service Vs 1a  (Nov 2007)
• Chlamydia Screening & Treatment Service Vs 1 (April 2008)
• Weight Management Service Vs 1 (Feb 2009)
• Emergency Hormonal Contraception Service Vs 2b (May 2009)
• Care Homes – Medicines Governance Support Service Vs1 (Sept 2009)
• Supervised Consumption of Prescribed Medicines for Substance Misusers (Opioids)Vs 2 (Sept 2009)

(* The HAG is currently reviewing the Competencies and Training Frameworks developed in 2007 and these will be replaced with revised versions as soon as they are approved.)

4.  HAG Minutes (Approved)

• HAG Minutes 21 01 09
• HAG Minutes 05 03 09
• HAG Minutes 30 04 09
• HAG Minutes 10 06 09
• HAG Minutes 25 08 09

5.  Support Documents

• HAG Cross Recognition Guidance Vs 2 (Jan 2007)
• HAG Advisors on Developing Training Programmes (Sept 09)
• HAG Certificate of Accreditation for Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services
• HAG Maintenance of Self Declaration Form Vs 2 (Feb 2009)
• Sample Letter to accredited Pharmacists
• HAG Logo
• C&TF Standard Template Vs 2 (May 2009)

 6. HAG Regional Representatives

7. HAG Contact Details