The BMA/GPC advice has changed in August 2010.

Patient Group Direction (PGD)

A Patient Group Direction is a written instruction for the supply and/or administration of a named licensed medicine for a defined clinical condition.PGDs allow a range of specified registered health care professionals to supply and/or administer a medicine directly to a patient with an identified clinical condition without them necessarily seeing a prescriber. The health care professional working within the PGD is responsible for assessing that the patient fits the criteria set out in the PGD.
PGDs are intended to improve patient care by enabling registered health professionals other than doctors to supply and/or administer medicines to patients.Examples of where PGDs may be appropriate are services where assessment and treatment follows a clearly predictable pattern (eg immunisation, family planning).

In general practice they can be used to enable registered nurses to administer a prescription only medicine to a group of patients who fit the criteria specified in the PGD, for example, to administer vaccinations.

The following may supply or administer medicines under a patient group direction

registered nurses
midwives
health visitors
optometrists
pharmacists
chiropodists
radiographers
orthoptists
physiotherapists
ambulance paramedics
dieticians
occupational therapists
speech and language therapists
prosthetists and orthotists

Note that they can only do so as named individuals.

Particulars to be included in a patient group direction

The period the Direction shall have effect
The description or class of POM (Prescription Only Medicine) to which the direction applies
Whether there are any restrictions on the quantity of medicine which may be supplied on any one occasion, and if so, what restrictions
the clinical situations which POMs of that description or class may be used to treat
the clinical criteris under which a person shall be eligible for treatment
whether any class of person is excluded from treatment under the Direction and, if so,what class of person
whether there are circumstance in whigh further advice whould be sought from a doctor or dentis and,if so, what circumstances
the pharmaceutical form or forms in which POMs of that description or class are to be administered
the strength or maximum strength at which POMs of that description or class are to be administered
the applicable dosage or maximum dosage
the route of administration
the frequency of administration
any minimum or maximum period of administration applicable to prescription only medicines of that description or class
whather there are any relevant warnigns to note and, if so, what warnings
whether there is any follow up action to be taken in any circumstances and, if so what action and in what circumstances
Arrangements for referral for medical advice
Details of the records to be kept of the supply, or the administration , of medicines under the Direction