Home Enhanced and Local Services
Service specifications for Enhanced Services have been developed using experience from locally negotiated services. LPCs and contractors are able to negotiate to provide services in accordance with these specifications where a local need for the service is determined.
Alternatively LPCs, contractors or the PCT are free to develop their own local services in response to identified needs.
Service Specifications
England
The first batch of Enhanced Service specifications is available by clicking here. Further template specifications will be released in due course.
Wales
To visit the Welsh Assembly Government website which holds the NES (National Enhanced Service) templates agreed to date by the Project Implementation Board, please click here.
Pricing Enhanced Services
Work was undertaken to seek to agree benchmark prices for some time, but after meetings between the PSNC, the NHS Confederation and the Department of Health in late 2005, it was agreed that a better approach was the publication of a costing toolkit.
PSNC has developed a costing toolkit, for LPCs and PCTs, which helps to identify the elements to be considered in pricing a service at a local level:
LPC Enhanced Services Briefing and Costing Toolkit
General Resources
NHS Confederation Briefing: Enhanced Services (PDF Format)
The NPA NHS Service Development Department have also published 'Enhanced services toolkit - A practical guide for community pharmacists on the commissioning of enhanced pharmacy services in England' available on request to members (01727 832161)
PSNC guidance on Service Level Agreements (SLAs) (PDF Format)
Frequently Asked Questions
My pharmacy was included on the pharmaceutical list using the 'internet pharmacy' exemption. Can I provide Enhanced services such as 'supervised administration of methadone'?
A distance selling pharmacy (as it is called) is not permitted to provide pharmaceutical services to the patient on the pharmacy premises. As the supervision of the administration of methadone requires the supply of the methadone as a component of that service, then it follows that this Enhanced service would not be appropriate. This would also apply to minor ailments schemes, Patient Group Directions etc.
How will PCTs avoid a situation where one area bordering another may have noticeably better pharmacy services because it has commissioned them as Enhanced Services?
That is, of course, a matter for the PCTs themselves. PSNC will support LPCs to work with PCTs to ensure they use community pharmacy services to deliver value for patients.
Can PCTs commission Enhanced services from pharmacies outside their area?
PCTs can commission Enhanced services from pharmacy contractors on their pharmaceutical list or contractors in the list of a neighbouring PCT. This allows for circumstances where pharmacies, close to PCT borders, provide services to patients in neighbouring PCTs.
DOWNLOADS: Some documents are available in PDF format, you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later for viewing which can be downloaded from the Adobe Website
DOWNLOADS: Some documents are available in ‘Microsoft Word’ format. If you do not have Microsoft Word, you can read these forms by downloading the free 'Word Viewer'. This program can be downloaded at the Microsoft website