Following the “pause” for further comment and concern about the implementation of the Liberating the NHS” programme, the government has published its response as a command paper (CM 8113) together with briefing notes on amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill.

Despite the fact that the future of NPSA is uncertain under the Arm’s Length Bodies review, its role is expanded by amending Directions which require it to provide more advice and guidance on patient safety and to clinical assessments and research associated with patient safety. Effective 3rd June 2011

The report following consultation on the “3 year rule” concludes that the restriction should be lifted. For EU pharmacists on part 1 of the GPhC register this will be done by a section 73 Order under the Medicines Act. The report says that a suitable legal instrument will have to be identified to extend the measure to “visiting pharmacists” who may be on part 4 of the GPhC register.

The European Parliament has approved a proposed directive amending Directive 2001/83/EC aiming to prevent entry into the legal supply chain of medicinal products which are falsified in relation to their identity, history or source. The link lists 119 proposed amendments together with useful explanatory statements and a justification for the changes.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has issued a consultation on the fees for renewal of registration for 2011-2012 together with the legislative Rules (as an appendix) to implement them. Consultation closes on 12th May 2011

Following a report into Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Other Traditional Medicine Systems Practised in the UK, the Secretary of State for Health has announced that the Health Professions Council has been asked to establish a register for practitioners selling unlicensed herbal medicines. Further information is in the DH press release.

A DH Command Paper (Cm 8008), Enabling Excellence:Autonomy and Accountability for Healthcare Workers, Social Workers and Social Care Workers sets out proposals to, amongst other things, commission CHRE to review the cost-efficiency and effectiveness of each regulator, discourage regulators for taking on any new roles that would increase costs to registrants and to give more freedom to regulators to update and modernise their legislation. A review has been commissioned with a view to creating a single Act of Parliament for all the regulatory bodies.

A White Paper (Cm 8008) Enabling Excellence: Autonomy and accountability for healthcare workers, social workers and social care workers sets out a programme of consolidation and reform. Changes to the role of CHRE already appear in the Health and Social Care Bill now before Parliament;regulators such as GPhC will have to meet new efficiency levels and higher levels of accountability; the operation of the Mutual Recognition Directive will be reviewed; the Law Commission will be undertaking a review of all the legislation covering professional regulation and revalidation for doctors will be simplified.

The latest Health and Social Care Bill has been published implementing the programme of changes set out in “Liberating the NHS” and changes to the organisation of public health services. The Bill is presented in two volumes and 367 pages. The Explanatory Notes are a similar size.