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Can anyone clarify the position of podiatrists in relation to their ability, or lack of it, to prescribe poms. I understand the position in relation to the use and purchase of LA's, but am still a little unsure about other pharmacy

Goeff

There has been a previous theme on related topic on the Arena. As far as I could ascertain pods do not have independent prescription rights but there is legislation for supplementary prescription rights.Conditions apply of course and the pod needs to be working in close association with a prescribing physician. Provided patient doctor and health care worker agree a health care plan then supplementary prescription rights fall to the health care worker. These are wide reaching and not restricted to S4 drugs as in Australia. History and practice from other disciplines would suggest independent status will follow supplementary prescribing rights. I tried to identify actual events (case histories) where supplementary prescribing would automatically fall into the job role of a podiatrist and must say came up with a big Zero. Plenty examples of independent prescribing opportunity but that was not what I was after. I have subsequenly learned there is a prescribing working group within the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. I was not able to make contact with them. Expectations meantime are the number of specialist podiatrists with supplementary prescribing rights will be be very small andthey will require to undertake further study. Courses are beginning to become available at universities and appear to follow an interdisciplinary format. There are websites which deal specifically with Supplementary Preciscribing legislation (have a gooogle)


Cameron
When I was looking for information I also found many other allied disciplines jhad difficulty in citing actual cases where they would find themself and their patients benefitting from supplementary prescribing. All could see the advantages of independent prescribing.

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Cameron Kippen, Podologist and Shoe Historian




Cameron Kippen

Many thanks Cameron. I will continue to search on this subject.

Supplementary prescribing occurs VERY commonly in the NHS with podiatrists.
Podiatric Surgeons generally has supplementary rights when they work within an orthopaedic department, and may even use these rights when working in private practice with the backing of local GPs.

Pods working within Diabetic Foot clinics generally have supplementary rights for certain drugs in collaboration with Diabetologists and Pharmacies within the hospital where they are based, and this has been extended in some cases to include Rheumatology, Vascular surgery and pain clinics.

The drugs involved will vary from place to place and will be dependent on the agreements in place, but may and do include antibiotics, pain relief and in some cases insulin.