The Exceptional and Named Patients Scheme
This Scheme was launched in 2015 with the intent to facilitate patient access to the treatment that falls under the above the Named Patients scheme from their community pharmacy of choice instead of from the hospitals’ pharmacies.
Processing of Exceptional treatment Request forms
There are exceptional cases where a patient would require an item which is not in the government formulary and thus not stocked as the other items would normally be. However an application can be made for any items not in the formulary if there is a valid reason. Such requests are filled when the requested medication is not mapped under the patient’s chronic condition.
The prescriber fills in the Exceptional medicinal treatment request form, which has to be also signed by the Chairman of the respective medical department and then the application is forwarded to DPA (Department for Pharmaceutical Affairs) for consideration where a board will decide. After approval by DPA, the request is then inputted in the SCHV database and the document issued. The document is regulated by a permit which must be renewed via the same process as above. Changes in dose are also regulated by the same process.
The item is then ordered on a named patient basis thus the stock is specifically ordered for that patient. Since there are a number of costly medications in this branch, stricter procedures are followed. A patient-specific label is issued through the POYC Unit’s ICT System and affixed on each specific patient-pack so as to ensure that the treatment reaches its intended beneficiary in a timely channelled manner.