Patient Group Directions (PGDs) are not a form of prescribing.  They provide a legal framework for groups of people in specific pre-determined, clinical situations to get effective, safe and timely access to specified prescription-only or pharmacy-only medicines.

This page offers information to those wishing to find out more about Patient Group Directions, and the Process for approving a Patient Group Direction within the Trust.  The Patient Group Direction Approval Group (PGDAG) will review new PGDs and updated PGDs on a monthly basis.  When they are approved they are reviewed and formally approved by the Chair of the Medicines Governance Group.  Following approval all PGDs are uploaded to the intranet. 

All applications or reviews must be submitted to stsft.pgd@nhs.net with all relevant paperwork completed. Please note that all PGDs must follow the review process and services are not permitted to extend expiry dates of their own PGDs and if they expire must be withdrawn from use until re-approved.

Further details regarding the process can be found in the PGD Process flowchart or in the PGD SOP.

To help you decide whether a PGD is the most appropriate use for medicines supply or administration, see "When a Patient Group Direction are not required".

Information on how to develop PGDs can be found on the SPS website: A step by step guide to help organisations and individuals navigate all stages of the PGD development process

PGD E-learning

Following the merger in April 2019 the existing PGDs were adopted by the Trust's Medicines Governance Group to allow staff to work to existing PGDs until all PGDs are reviewed following the merger.

Return to Medicines Governance and Safety