As pharmacy technology specialists, Positive Solutions was concerned to discover that 16% of our pharmacy clients had never heard of FMD until they received our recent survey and only 12% understood the implications of adopting the legislation in pharmacy. In addition, there were considerable misunderstandings around implementation and the equipment needed to be FMD compliant.

As a result, Positive Solutions embarked on a series of FMD client workshops across the UK. Delegate feedback from the first event held at the University of Stirling in Scotland, confirmed a successful day that was well received and considered extremely useful by all those in attendance. Delegates said they had learned a lot from the keynote speakers and 80% said they had now changed their opinion and felt more positive about FMD.

Positive Solutions Head of Product Development, Mark Merry said “as a result of the workshops, we found a willingness to adapt and a desire to embrace what could be a new opportunity to improve safety and offset the challenges associated with workflow change”.

Working with leading robot manufacturer BD Rowa and world-wide provider of innovative healthcare monitoring technology, Honeywell, Positive Solutions continued to use a joint approach for further workshops in the north and south of England.

Chris Shelford, Marketing Manager for Rowa Technologies outlined the importance of IT solutions partners working together to develop products and services that deliver efficiencies and benefits to pharmacy: “We’re partners in this journey and the outcomes for pharmacy can be as successful as the products and integration we jointly provide”, said Chris. “By collaborating with leading providers such as Positive Solutions, we’re able to provide many benefits to pharmacy. Presenting the advantages of BD and Positive integration, allows us to help pharmacists understand the implications of FMD and show we’re future-proofed and ready. FMD shouldn’t be a barrier to automation, it should be used to unlock the benefits and improve efficiencies in pharmacy”.

Integrated automation solutions give pharmacy complete control of the dispensing process, ensuring compliance and peace of mind. It generates the potential to increase output and deliver greater efficiency. The seamless connection between Analyst PMR, Analyst Central Fill and BD Rowa robots enables future technology to be embraced with minimal upheaval. This can significantly improve dispensing efficiency and deliver considerable long-term cost savings.

Following a recent meeting with the UK FMD Working Group, PSL Head of Product Development, Mark Merry concluded “It has been made perfectly clear. There will be no cancellation of the regulation, no opt out by the UK in light of Brexit and no delay in its enactment. FMD is happening.”

Quite how compliant community pharmacies must be by 9th Feb 2019 is still unclear. Manufacturers are likely to be most affected as they who will only be able to place FMD compliant packs into the market after the legislation start date in February. Community pharmacies cannot be expected to be 100% compliant from day one when only a minority of serialised packs will be available in the market.

However, all pharmacy contractors will need to register with the National Medicines Verifications Organisation, SecureMed. This is the body responsible for overseeing FMD in the UK. Pharmacies will also need to update internal SOPs to account for the checking of Anti-Tamper Devices, the scanning of unique 2D codes and a process for performing the 2D code checks against the National Medicines Verification System.

For further information on our products and services and how we are dealing with FMD, please call 01257 235910 or email solutions@localhost