Medicines Compliance Aids (MCA)

The LPC has issued the above statements regarding MCAs for the following reasons:

  • Patient safety is paramount to our role within community pharmacy and the safest way to dispense is original packs.
  • The action by the ICB is to move away from 7 day prescribing for a MCA.
  • The high volume of MCAs that are currently being assembled that are outside of the Equality Act 2010.
  • The number of MCAs that are being assembled by community pharmacies that are being provided to patients that have paid carers. The carers should be trained to provide medication to patients from original packs.
  • Community pharmacies need to do regular MCA assessments to review if the patient still requires a MCA. If the patient does not require a MCA, then the community pharmacy must work with the prescriber and the patients / representative to move to original pack dispensing.
  • MCA is not financially viable under the current funding model. Whilst we accept that there is a need to do a MCA under the Equality Act 2010, we are not funded to complete all the other MCA trays that are outside the Act.
  • An MCA tray tends to be the default option rather than exploring other support appliance options.
  • Currently, community pharmacies are bearing the cost of MCA to patients that do not qualify for a MCA under the Equality Act 2010. The LPC believes that this costs should be carried by Social Care, the ICB or the patient, not community pharmacies.