Changes to the arrangements for dealing with private Controlled Drug prescriptions
From 1 September 2007 there will be a change to the procedures for dealing with private Controlled Drug prescriptions in England (FP10PCD) and Wales (WP10PCD).
Currently, in England and Wales, copies of private prescriptions for
Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 Controlled Drugs for human use (on standardised
private prescription forms) are sent to the relevant NHS agency at the
end of each month by community pharmacies.
From 1 September 2007, following changes in legislation, the original
private prescription for a Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 Controlled Drug must
be sent to the relevant NHS agency.
This change affects community pharmacists in England and Wales. In Scotland,
original private prescriptions are currently sent to the relevant NHS
agency and this arrangement will continue.
The original prescription should not be sent away until all supplies
against the prescription that can be made have been made, because it
is a requirement to mark on the prescription the date at the time of
supply of a Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 Controlled Drug.
The validity of
prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 Controlled Drugs is 28 days, and
unless the prescription contains instalments, supplies (including the
balances
of owings) cannot be made after this time. For prescriptions that contain
instalments, the first dispensing must take place within 28 days of
the appropriate date.
This change does not affect requisitions. New arrangements for requisitions
come into force on 1 January 2008. Further guidance on this will be
issued at a later date. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal