Patient Group Directions (PGDs)

Patient Group Directions (PGD) – updated NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service guidance

NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service has updated its Introduction to PGDs guidance, setting out what a PGD is and how it is used in clinical practice. Key principles include:

• PGDs are not prescriptions
• Clinical judgement cannot be used to supply/administer a medicine outside the criteria in the PGD including:
  • Inclusion/exclusion criteria, e.g., age, gender etc
  • Quantities supplied
• The supply and/or administration of medicines under a PGD cannot be delegated; the whole episode of care must be undertaken by the healthcare practitioner operating under the PGD.