NMS myth busting series (#4)

Myth: I can sub-contract NMS, so it is provided via a remote consultation with the patient by a pharmacist working off the pharmacy premises who is not employed by the pharmacy owner. 

Wrong! Pharmacy owners are not permitted to use sub-contracting arrangements at a location other than the pharmacy premises for the service to be provided on their behalf.

If the service is provided off the pharmacy premises, the pharmacist providing the service:

• Must be employed directly by the pharmacy, or a company in the same group* as the pharmacy; and
• Must have access to the records of the patient that are held by or are accessible by the pharmacy, which are required to provide the service safely and effectively.

*A group is defined here as a parent undertaking and its subsidiary undertakings as defined in the Companies Act 2006

The changes were implemented by Secretary of State Directions and they came into effect on 29th October 2025.

Myth: Trainee pharmacists can provide the NMS Intervention and Follow up stages.

Wrong! The NMS Intervention and Follow up stages must be provided by a pharmacist who has self-declared that they have the skills and knowledge to do so.  However, the pharmacy can make good use of skill mix by allowing support staff to book appointments, prepare copies of forms, and transcribing details of the consultations where these are later entered into electronic records.

Myth: NMS cannot be provided to a child.

Wrong! Where the patient is competent to give consent to receive the service and to share information as required by the consent arrangements, then consent should be sought from the patient. If the patient is unable to competently provide consent, but the pharmacist feels the patient would benefit from the service, the parents or guardians of children newly prescribed medication can be offered the support of the service to further enhance the patient’s care. There is no minimum age for the service.