The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7404 p692
10 June 2006

Society summary

An occasional feature, prepared in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Professional Standards Directorate, to highlight problems and inquiries currently being handled

Law and Ethics Bulletin, 2001 to present

Instalment dispensing of Controlled Drugs

Pharmacists are reminded that, for an instalment prescription for Controlled Drugs, where the prescription contains a direction that specified instalments may be dispensed at specified intervals, supplies must not be made otherwise than in accordance with the directions.

However, the Home Office has confirmed that the following wording can be used by those prescribing Controlled Drugs by way of instalment in accordance with the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, as amended. This text is in addition to the usual Controlled Drug prescription requirements (words and figures, etc). The amended text reads: “Supervised consumption of daily dose on specified days; the remainder of supply to take home. If an instalment prescription covers more than one day and is not collected on the specified day, the total amount prescribed less the amount prescribed for the day(s) missed may be supplied.”

Use of this wording will enable those supplying Controlled Drugs to issue the remainder of an instalment prescription when the person has failed to collect the instalment on the specified day. If a prescription does not reflect such wording, the Regulations only permit the supply to be in accordance with the prescriber’s instalment direction.

In line with this guidance provided by the Home Office, the Society is of the opinion that where this direction is written and is clear and unambiguous, the pharmacist would be in a position to supply the remainder of the instalment. The pharmacist must, however, use his or her professional judgement in deciding whether making the supply, less the days missed, would be appropriate. The pharmacist must take into consideration the possibility that the patient may have used illegal substances in the interim period and must decide whether it may be appropriate to contact the prescriber to ensure that he or she is content for the supply to be made.

Pharmacists must ensure that all prescription endorsements and entries in the CD register correctly record any supply made.