Consultation by: Department of Health and Social Care
Healthwatch Birmingham and Solihull responded to this consultation on proposals to enable pharmacists to make substitutions when a prescribed medicine is unavailable.
Our response focused on the following:
• We agreed with enabling substitutions to help avoid delays in treatment where appropriate.
• We stressed that people should be clearly informed at the point a substitution is made, with information presented in an accessible way to support understanding.
• We highlighted the need for consistent monitoring of how substitutions are used, including clarity around the rationale for decisions.
• We emphasised that the original prescriber should be informed when a substitution takes place, as patients may follow up with them about any issues.
• We also raised concerns about the consultation process itself, noting that 250-word limits on several questions restricted the ability of respondents to fully explain their views.