Patients have died due to inappropriate prescribing by pharmacists who often overestimate their competence, according to a UK-based pharmacy indemnity provider.

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has issued urgent guidance to its members following a number of critical incidents involving GP practice-based pharmacists.

The guidance was necessary, given many pharmacists were considering a move to general practice work, or were in the process of obtaining their independent prescribing qualification, it said.

“Our defence team has become increasingly concerned about incidents of unsafe practice which have started to emerge as the number of independent prescribers working in GP practices has risen, the PDA wrote.