Freedom of Information Model Publication Scheme for Community Pharmacy Contractors Scotland.
Welcome to the ‘ASDA Pharmacy part of ASDA Stores Ltd’ publication scheme. This is the publication scheme for the registered pharmacists who practise together in all ‘ASDA Pharmacies’ operated and run by ASDA Stores Ltd. In Scotland; it is about the NHS services which the Pharmacists provide, as required under section 23 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Introduction
Under Section 23 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the Act), Community Pharmacy Contractors must adopt and maintain a publication scheme setting out the information they routinely make publicly available. This publication scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by the ‘ASDA pharmacy’. Our scheme has been approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner, who is responsible for the enforcement of the Act. In addition we have to review the scheme from time to time. In adopting (or Reviewing) our publication scheme, we are required to have regard to the public interest in:
- allowing public access to information we hold; and
- the publication of reasons for the decisions we make.
In preparing this scheme we have taken account of the questions we are routinely asked by members of the public.
How much does it cost?
The publications are free unless otherwise indicated. Where information is provided at a cost, the charges will be calculated as set out in Class 7.
How is the information made available?
The information within each Class is available from :
John Evans, Superintendent Pharmacist, ASDA House, Great Wilson St., Leeds, LS11 5AD
Who has responsibility of the Scheme?
The person with day to day responsibility for the scheme is John Evans
Your rights to information
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 recognises that members of the public have the right to know how public services are organised and run, how much they cost and how the decisions are made.
Since January 1st 2005, community pharmacists are obliged to respond to requests about information that they hold about NHS Pharmaceutical Services, and is recorded in any format and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to certain exemptions listed in the Act.
New environmental information regulations will be introduced in January 2005. These will enable similar access to environmental information as under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your patient medication records or any other personal information held about you and you can contact John Evans to do this :
John Evans, Superintendent Pharmacist, ASDA House, Great Wilson St., Leeds, LS11 5AD.
Feedback
If you have any comments about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the Scheme, please write to:
John Evans, Superintendent Pharmacist, ASDA House, Great Wilson St., Leeds, LS11 5AD
If we are unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Scottish Information Commissioner who oversees the Act and whose contact details are below. From 1 January 2005, when the general right of access comes into force, there will be a formal appeal mechanism when information is withheld. Further details on this will be available on the Commissioner’s website at www.itspublicknowledge.info before this date. The contact details for the Information Commissioner are:
Kevin Dunion, Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS
Tel: 01334 464610
Email: enquiries@itspublicknowledge.info
Classes of Information
1. Who we are
ASDA Pharmacy is part of ASDA Stores Ltd, which is in itself part of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
The relevant Health Board has made arrangements with the ASDApharmacy for the provision of pharmaceutical services under section 27 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. The Pharmacy is contracted to provide a range of NHS services (listed under Section 2 below).
Key Personnel:
John Evans
The Superintendent Pharmacist is John Evans. The pharmacy may also employ locum pharmacists.
Some information may be withheld, including personal, confidential information about individuals that is protected by the Data Protection Act.
2. Our services
The range of services that we provide under contract to the relevant NHSBoard includes :
- dispensing of NHS prescriptions for drugs, medicines and Drug Tariff listed appliances
- record keeping for dispensed medicines
- care homes
- syringe and needle exchange
- safe disposal of unwanted medicines
- repeat dispensing
- minor ailments schemes
- the supply of prescription-only medicines under written patient group directions
In addition, our pharmacies provide the following services for which there is no NHS remuneration :
- sale of over the counter medicines
- advice from the pharmacist
- prescription collection service
- confidential help and advice
- emergency supplies of prescription only medicines
- smoking cessation support
- dispensing of private and veterinary prescriptions
Standards of Service
Every pharmacist must comply with the legal requirements on the sale and supply of medicinal products and comply with the professional standards set down in Medicines, Ethics and Practice published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. For some services pharmacists and staff are required to attend training courses and sign service agreements with the NHS board.
It is a requirement of the professional allowance that we receive from the NHS Board that we have a practice leaflet available detailing all our services. This is available from the ASDA Pharmacy.
Our inclusion on the List of the relevant NHS Board is subject to Terms of Service. The Terms of Service for Pharmacists can be obtained from the relevant Board.
The pharmacy keeps computerised patient medication records and is registered under the Data Protection Act.
The addresses of the pharmacy premises from which the Asda1 pharmacy has undertaken to provide NHS services are available from John Evans.
Superintendent Pharmacist, ASDA House, Great Wilson St., Leeds, LS11 5AD
Opening times can vary between locations, so please contact your local pharmacy directly to confirm.
3. Financial and funding information
Funding details and charging policies
The prescription charge from 1st April 2004 is £6.40. Some patients can get free prescriptions under certain circumstances – please ask for leaflet HC11. Anyone who has to pay and gets more than 5 prescription items in 4 months, or 14 in 12 months, could save money with a pre-payment certificate (PPC). You can buy them from most pharmacies. You can also apply by post – please ask for application form EC95
A 4-month prepayment certificate costs £33.40 and a 12-month prepayment certificate costs £91.80. These charges are set annually by the Scottish Executive (see http://www.gov.scot/Home for the latest figures)
The prescription charge is a tax paid directly to the NHS. It is not received by the pharmacist and does not form part of any remuneration to the pharmacy for NHS pharmaceutical services. The average ingredient cost of a dispensed item is £10.80 and pharmacies receive a dispensing fee for medicines of 95.20 pence per item plus a monthly professional allowance payment which ranges from £575 to £1575 depending on the number of prescriptions dispensed. (Figures correct March 2004). Further information on the cost of drugs and appliances can be found in the Drug Tariff, available from The Common Services Agency. The Information & Statistics Department of the Common Services Agency (Gyle Square, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9EB) produces the Drug Tariff quarterly and monthly updates of Part 7 (drug prices) are published by the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council (42 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3NH).
Some information in this class may not be released because it is confidential or commercial information or its release may be substantially prejudicial to the conduct of the pharmacy’s affairs.
4. Information about Policies, prescribing and prescriptions
Protocols in relation to prescribing protocols and standard operating procedures relating to the dispensing of prescriptions, data protection.
We have protocols and standard operating procedures relating to dispensing of prescriptions.
Copies are available from John Evans :
Superintendent Pharmacist, ASDA House, Great Wilson St., Leeds, LS11 5AD
We are registered under the Data Protection Act and abide by the Data Protection Act principles.
5. Regular publications and Public Health information
Guidance and Information Leaflets
In order to qualify for the professional allowance we receive from relevant NHS Board, we are required to display a range of health education leaflets. We occasionally receive other information from the NHS Board which we make available to the public.
In addition there is a range of leaflets and booklets distributed by ASDA Pharmacy These are published by a variety of sources.
Complaints : policies, procedures and contacts for complaints
Policies, procedures and contacts for complaints
Our aim is to provide you with the best level of service possible. If you are unhappy with our prescription service, please:
Ask to speak to the pharmacist.
If you are still not satisfied, ask to see the Store Manager. If in the unlikely event that you are still unhappy, please write to the following address:
John Evans, Superintendent Pharmacist, ASDA House, Great Wilson St., Leeds, LS11 5AD
If you are not happy with our response, you can write to your local Primary Care Trust. Their address and telephone number will be provided on request. Our complaints policy is in line with the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations and the NHS complaints policy.
If you wish to make a complaint contact Our aim is to provide you with the best level of service possible. If you are unhappy with our prescription service, please:
Ask to speak to the pharmacist.
If you are still not satisfied, ask to see the Store Manager.
If in the unlikely event that you are still unhappy, please write to the following address:
John Evans, Superintendent Pharmacist, ASDA House, Great Wilson St., Leeds, LS11 5AD
The complaints policy is in line with the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations and the NHS Complaints Policy. If you cannot resolve the problem or if you prefer not to raise the complaint with the pharmacy directly you may contact the relevant NHS Board.
Cost of Information
In this class we will publish any changes we make to this Publication Scheme, the criteria on which our information management policies are made and a referral point for all enquires regarding information management generally in practice. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions to publications already available.
Cost of Information
For the most part, we will only charge for hard copies, or copies onto media. Charges are as follows and will be reviewed regularly:
Requests for paper copies, multiple printouts, or for archived copies of documents, which are no longer accessible or available on the web, may attract a charge for the retrieval, photocopy, postage etc. We will let you know the cost and charges that will have to be paid in advance. We will not provide printouts of other organisation’s websites.
- Current leaflets and brochures on, for example, services we offer to the public are available from our pharmacies free of charge.
- E-mail will be free of charge.
- Where there is a charge for patient medication records or other personal information, it is regulated under the Data Protection Act.
- Useful resources
- Websites
Scottish Information Commissioner’s website
NHS Scotland website
Copyright
Material available through this publication scheme is subject to the pharmacy’s copyright unless otherwise indicated. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided it is done so accurately in a manner which will not mislead. Where items are re published or copied to others, you must identify the source and acknowledge copyright status. This permit does not extend to third party material, accessed through the scheme. For HMSO Guidance Notes see http://www.hmso.gov.uk/guides.htm
March 2004, Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council, 42 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3NH, Tel: 0131 467 7766 Fax: 0131 467 7767