AURs (Appliance Use Reviews)

[Rafael]

a new service added to the contract, just like MURs.
Stoma and incontinence appliances added to pharmacy contract - Chemist + Druggist

AUR: £27 per AUR conducted at pharmacy, £54 per AUR conducted at the patient’s home. If more than one AUR is conducted in the same location within 24 hours, the first will be paid at £54 and subsequent AURs will be paid £27 each.



my expectations:
i guess just like MURs, pharmacists should get accredited to provide this new service, multiples will take the lead in providing this service, more pressure on employee pharmacist to provide 10 MURs/week and 5 AURs/ week, another chance for locum pharmacists to contract individually with PCTs, and to ask for higher hourly rates if they provide the service wherever they locum.

it is a good news for independent pharmacies who are affected by the current recession and the cut in cat M remuneration. This news gives us a bit of hope for the likes of me who want to start their own community pharmacy one day, as an extra source of income.

TS kept on banging about the new services and the need to upgrade your skills, now i am starting to trust in what he preached us the young pharmcists/pharmacists-to-be.

John i read before that you rang your PCT to contract to provide MURs in patients home, if by any chance you ring them again, find out about this whole AURs service and whether you can provide the service as a locum in patients house? 400 MURs+400 AURs = 20 K, sounds enough for the elderly pharmacists or part-timers bearing in mind you only need to spend 2 hours at patients home to gain this amount of money.
have your say guys and keep us updated once the service kicks in

[johnep]

Stumbling block is the need for a CRB for home visits. CRBs are not issued to self employed.
johnep

[Pharmanaut]

Stumbling block is the need for a CRB for home visits. CRBs are not issued to self employed.
johnep

I have a CRB for youth work, but it can't be transferred.
What a farce.

[Tony Schofield]

There is a year before this becomes the norm. It is a result of the disgraceful scenario where pharmacies could dispense £100 worth of colostomy appliances at a loss but an appliance contractor could make over £40.

The rules make it easier for us to compete with appliance contractors but more will be required of us:- delivery, customising and now AURs.

I think it is fantastic news and I am delighted that Raul feels similarly. Young pharmacists need to see opportunity and indeed here is one.

John? You keep talking about how you can't do MURs because you need a CRB check. You also need to have been supplying the patient for at least 3 months. How can you do that as a locum?

AURs can be performed by nurses also it must be pointed out.

If I wanted a pharmacist to do AURs or MURs at domicillary visits I would pay for the CRB check, there should be no reason why a locum would need to pay to do services for me.

How much have you been quoted John? Is it not worth investing if you CAN satisfy the requirement of having dispensed for the patient for 3 months?

[johnep]

£37 per check was quoted, but I cannot ask for it, has to be employer.

With regard to supplying for three months, I would have to cooperate with one of the pharmacies where I work regularly as would need to download details to a laptop before visiting pts home. I would then return to pharmacy to upload results etc, having previously printed out their copy on a portable printer. If this not practical, would prepare MUR form in the pharmacy on hard copy before pt visit.

Local PCT has an appliance formulary, I will approach to see what is happening at present. bulk of appliances provided by postal cos. We only get involved on weekends such as this when co fails to deliver.

I am just trying to think of something where I do not have to stand for long periods. Previous experience of oxygen home visits mean a comfortable armchair and a cup of tea.
johnep

[Tony Schofield]

Government Proposal To Fund Supply Of Ability Aids Through Community… News PSNC

It gets better!

Yeah community pharmacy is dead, you are obliged to work for multiples who only want prescription factories.

Many pharmacies have tried selling these items but the stock investment has never justified the returns as people have had to get grants or spend their hard earned. Now the state will pay it will be much better.

[bobbin]

AURs sound interesting..........but how many pharmacists have sufficient knowledge of stoma and urology products to conduct an AUR effectively? I certainly don't; not at the moment anyway. I wonder how much it would cost to employ a stoma nurse to conduct AUR sessions?

As for flange cutting, I really have no clue. PSNC says that pharmacies will be able to choose whether they wish to provide the new advanced service of 'stoma appliance customisation'..........

'Stoma Appliance Customisation: Stoma appliance customisation refers to the process of modifying multiple identical parts for use with a stoma appliance to the same specification, where the modification is based on the patient’s measurements or record of those measurements and, if applicable, a template.'

Payment will be £4.32 for every qualifying Part IXC prescription item dispensed, regardless of whether customisation occurs.

Bobbin

[johnep]

I will be contacting CPPE and loacl PCT re training. We need training linked to new opportunities, not just background knowledge.

Last night attened GSK meeting on Alli. 100 people there of whom 60 were pharmacists. Has set me wondering if could run weight loss clinics. Often find overweights also smoke (because smoking is slimming) and often sedentary pts receiving meds in trays or general home delivery.
johnep

[Tony Schofield]

That's my boy!!

[mrmeds]

With regard to supplying for three months, I would have to cooperate with one of the pharmacies where I work regularly as would need to download details to a laptop before visiting pts home. I would then return to pharmacy to upload results etc, having previously printed out their copy on a portable printer. If this not practical, would prepare MUR form in the pharmacy on hard copy before pt visit.

so would this MUR generate any income for the pharmacy ? How would you split the fee ?