NMS myth busting series (#3)
This is the third of a series of articles to tackle some of the misconceptions around the New Medicine Service (NMS). The articles will cover a variety of aspects of NMS and aims to myth bust, to increase understanding of the service.
Myth: The pharmacist can always choose what is the appropriate time period between the Intervention and Follow-up consultations.
Wrong! The Intervention consultation should be undertaken between a minimum of 7 days and up to a maximum of 14 days after patient engagement.
The Follow-up consultation is to be undertaken between a minimum of 14 days and up to a maximum of 21 days after the Intervention consultation.
The Intervention and Follow-up consultations can only be delivered outside of the timeframes stated above in exceptional circumstances, e.g. the patient has informed the pharmacy staff that they will be away on holiday, and if in the professional opinion of the pharmacist they believe the patient would benefit from the continued provision of the service. The exceptional circumstances for delivery outside of the stated timeframes must be recorded in the pharmacy’s clinical record for the service.
Myth: The first prescription for the new medicine must always be dispensed at the pharmacy for the patient to be eligible for NMS.
Wrong! In circumstances where the patient has been referred by a healthcare professional at a hospital that has already dispensed the new medicine, it is not a requirement that the pharmacy has dispensed the first prescription.
If the patient has been identified by pharmacy staff or referred or signposted following prescribing of an eligible new medicine, the first prescription for the new medicine will need to be dispensed by the pharmacy in accordance with the Terms of Service for the patient to be eligible for NMS at the pharmacy.
Myth: NMS cannot be provided to a carer.
Wrong! Where a patient cannot provide informed consent themselves and the pharmacist feels the patient would benefit from the service, the patient’s carer can be offered the support of the service to further enhance the patient’s care.
Myth: If a patient is prescribed a higher strength of a target NMS medicine (having previously been prescribed a lower strength of the same medicine) they would be eligible for NMS.
Wrong! No, as the NMS can only be provided on the first occasion, a patient is prescribed an individual medicine.
