APTUK joins BOPA and PASG in Pharmacy Workforce Position Statement on Safer Handling of Hazardous SACT Drugs
Dear colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has now formally joined the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) and the NHS Pharmaceutical Aseptic Services Group (PASG) in endorsing the joint position statement on the Safer Handling of Hazardous SACT Drugs.
This updated position statement reflects a shared commitment across the pharmacy workforce to support safe and effective practices in the preparation, handling, administration and waste disposal of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) and cytotoxic medicines. Protecting both patients and healthcare staff remains a central priority in the delivery of high-quality oncology care.
The addition of APTUK strengthens the collaborative approach between pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and the wider multidisciplinary team. Together, BOPA, PASG and APTUK support further review of current practices to:
- Clarify the evidence surrounding occupational exposure risks and the role of control measures such as closed system transfer devices (CSTDs)
- Understand the operational impact and feasibility of potential approaches
- Ensure that future recommendations balance safety, service capacity, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
This collaboration represents an important step in ensuring that future guidance is proportionate, evidence-based and supports the safety of the entire pharmacy workforce.
The updated joint position statement is here BOPA-PASG-APTUK Joint Position-Statement-Safer Handling of Hazardous SACT Drugs Final March 2026.
