Unfair prescribing rights

Fiona, a postgraduate tutor at Cardiff University and dental therapist in North Wales Community Dental Services, took over the role from outgoing president Bal Chana at the Association's annual conference that took place in Manchester in September. 

It comes as physiotherapists were granted powers to prescribe (a restricted list of) medicines under new laws coming into force in Wales.

The change – also applying to chiropodists and podiatrists – is aimed at easing the pressure on these areas of the NHS.

Nurses, pharmacists and optometrists can already prescribe certain medicines, with powers now extended to additional groups of health professionals, subject to training.

Fiona explained: ‘It’s unfair and hampers our work greatly, since we are unable to carry out the full scope of our practice and whilst some of our places of work have Patient Group Directions (PGDs) in place, they are still extremely limiting.’

Fiona is already in negotiations with the chief dental officers in the BADT’s bid towards changing prescription rights for therapists.