NHS Prescriptions for POMs Quiz

NHS prescriptions for POMs

• NHS prescriptions are valid for 6 months
• They should be written on carbon paper or similar material
• The prescription must contain the following information
  • The prescriber’s address
  • The date of the prescription
  • The type of prescriber (e.g., doctor, dentist)
  • Name and address of the patient
  • The age of the patient if they are under 12 years of age

Repeatable Prescriptions

• Must be dispensed within 6 months of the date
• Repeat prescriptions can only be dispensed once unless its for oral contraceptives
• Oral contraceptives can be dispensed six times in total

### Additional Considerations

• Separate requirements for prescribing controlled drugs (e.g., opioids, stimulants)
• Medicines should be supplied in full when presented with a valid prescription
• If a pharmacy is unable to supply the full quantity of a prescribed medicine, an owing slip should be issued.
• Dispensing must match the requirements of the prescription, including strength, dose, frequency, and quantity.
• Brand name prescriptions must only be dispensed as the brand prescribed. Generic or alternative brands should not be dispensed.

### Approved Practitioners

• Doctors are referred to as ’registered medical practitioners’
• Community Practitioner Nurse Prescribers may prescribe a limited range of medicines from the Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary for Community Practitioners (NPF)
• Supplementary prescribers prescribed under the instruction of a doctor or dentist.
• Independent prescribers can prescribe from a wider range of medicines.
• These include the following professions:
  • Nurses
  • Pharmacists
  • Optometrists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Podiatrists
  • Therapeutic Radiographers
  • Paramedics

Important Meanings

• ’An indication of the kind of appropriate practitioner giving it’- this refers to what type of prescriber is issuing the prescription. For example, a doctor or dentist.
• ’The appropriate date’ refers to the date the prescription was written if it is a private prescription.
• ’The appropriate date’ refers to the date the prescription is signed if it is an NHS prescription.
• ‘Post-dated prescription’ - a prescription that has a future dated as the date on the document.

Legal Requirements for Private Prescriptions

• Private prescriptions must follow the same legal requirements as NHS prescriptions
• Private prescriptions can be written on any material and do not require a specific form
• The date on a private prescription is the date it was signed

Electronic Prescriptions

• Electronic prescriptions must have an ‘advanced electronic signature’
• The electronic signature must be uniquely linked to the prescriber and cannot be altered
• All drugs can be sent as electronic prescriptions

Prescription Records

• A record of each supply of a Prescription Only Medicine (POM) must be kept unless
  • It is a ‘health prescription’
  • It is a prescription for an oral contraceptive
  • It is a record for a controlled drug that is already included in a separate CD (Controlled Drug) register
  • It is a record for a medicine supplied as part of wholesale dealing where the invoice (or a copy) is retained for two years
• Records may be kept in a bound book or electronically

Faxed Prescriptions

• The use of fax machines to transmit confidential information is discouraged
• Faxed prescriptions are not legally valid prescriptions
• Dispensing a prescription against a fax is associated with several risks
• Dispensing a controlled drug from a fax is a criminal offence

### Photos or Emails of Prescriptions

• Photos or emails of prescriptions are not legally valid prescriptions
• They can be used for the patient to confirm what has been prescribed and for sharing with other healthcare professionals

Forged Prescriptions

• Dispensing a forged prescription is a criminal offence
• The law allows for a ‘due diligence’ defence, where the pharmacist has reasonable grounds to believe that the prescription is genuine

### Non-UK Prescriptions

• Prescriptions from ‘approved countries’ from ‘approved health professionals’ are legal in the UK
• ‘Approved countries’ include EEA countries and Switzerland
• ‘Approved health professionals’ include medical professionals who have prescribing rights in their own country. This may include chiropodists, podiatrists, nurses (including community nurses), optometrists, paramedics, pharmacist, physiotherapists, and therapeutic radiographers
• Non-UK prescriptions must include:
  • The patient’s full name and date of birth
  • The prescriber’s full name, professional qualifications, direct contact details, and work address
  • The name of medicine, pharmaceutical form, quantity, strength, and dosage details
  • The prescriber’s signature
  • The date of issue

### Administration of a POM

• It is unlawful to administer a parenteral POM to someone else other than yourself unless you are an appropriate practitioner or acting under the direction of an appropriate practitioner
• Certain healthcare professionals are exempt for specified POMs under certain conditions. This may include midwives and paramedics
• Certain healthcare professionals can also administer medicines in accordance with a Patient Group Direction (see separate lecture)
• There are no legal restrictions on the administration of non-parenteral POMs but organisations should have policies in place.

Test your knowledge on NHS prescriptions for Prescription Only Medicines (POMs) with this informative quiz. Learn about valid prescription durations, necessary information, and guidelines for repeat prescriptions and controlled drugs. Perfect for healthcare professionals or students in pharmacy studies.