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Use of Patient Group Directions to initiate or continue treatment for long term conditions

Source NHS PGD WebsitePublished Last updated See all updates
Topics: Patient Group Direction PlanningPatient Group Directions

The below summary advises on the use of PGDs to initiate treatment for long term conditions.

PGD use for medicines used in the management of long term conditions

It is not recommended that PGDs are used to initiate, or continue, treatment for long term conditions.

Long term conditions should be managed by healthcare professionals prescribing for individual patients on a one-to-one basis.

Guidance

NICE PGD guidance states: Do not use PGDs for managing long-term conditions, such as hypertension or diabetes, or when uncertainty remains about the differential diagnosis. 

There may be occasions, however, when a healthcare professional treats someone under a PGD for symptoms arising from a long term condition e.g. administration of salbutamol in acute asthma in an Urgent Care Centre. This highlights the importance of including clear instructions within PGDs on referral of individuals to an appropriate practitioner/prescriber responsible for their long term care and any other follow-up action required.

 

Update history

  1. Page reviewed. Initiate or continuation of treatment reinforced. Links embedded in text. Content otherwise accurate.
  1. Published