Will the Minister confirm why patient group directives cannot be issued on an all-Wales basis?
:In general, prescription only medicines may only be sold or supplied in accordance with a prescription issued by an appropriate practitioner. Exemptions are in place to allow specified groups of healthcare professionals to supply or administer medicines without prescription under a Patient Group Direction (PGDs).
Health boards and NHS trusts in Wales are able to authorise the supply of medicines under PGDs by relevant health professionals they employ regardless of where in Wales they work. Health boards can also authorise the supply of medicines by retail pharmacies, however legislation limits the authorisation to pharmacies within a health board area.
The circumstances in which PGDs can be used are set out in UK legislation. This includes specifying the organisations able to authorise supply under PGDs and the persons they are able to authorise. The power to legislate on matters relating to the sale or supply of prescription-only medicines, including the supply or administration of medicines under PGDs, is reserved by the UK Government.