Patient Group Directions
Patient Group Directions (PGDs) provides us with a legal framework that enables us to administer specified medications to a pre-defined group of patients, without necessarily paying a visit to your GP or prescriber. Administering medicines under PGDs are normally reserved for circumstances in which it promotes the welfare of the patient rather than compromising their safety.
You can find out more about PGDs on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) website.
When a PGD can be used
Examples include:
- Seasonal as well as other types of vaccination.
- For those patients who have not previously presented to e.g. first contact services like minor injury units.
- In well-established services where assessment and treatment comes after a clearly predictable pattern (e.g. contraception and sexual health services and NHS immunisation clinics).
When a patient Patient Group Directions cannot be used
Examples include:
- For long-term management of a patient’s clinical condition like in long-term or chronic conditions
- For medical devices
- For supply or administration of radiopharmaceuticals (Administration of Radioactive Substances Regulations 1978)
- For supply or administration of dressings and medical devices
- For supply or administer abortifacients (Abortion Act 1967)
- For training or as part of training
- For unlicensed medicines
- Where there is delegation of responsibility to supply or administer the medicine
- When two or more licensed medicines are mixed together, resulting in an unlicensed medicine
Learn more here. You can also get in touch with us today for more information.
