Prescription Regulations for POMs

A medicine that can only be sold or supplied with a prescription from a healthcare professional.

A written instruction from a prescriber for a medicine to be supplied.

Medicines that are always classified as POM, regardless of the specific product.

Medicines that can be supplied without a prescription in certain situations, such as emergencies.

A patient-specific direction from a prescriber on how to use a medicine.

A prescription for a Prescription Only Medicine (POM) must be written by a qualified healthcare professional, such as a doctor or nurse practitioner.

A POM prescription must be signed by the healthcare professional who issued it.

A POM prescription must be written in permanent ink or an equivalent method, and it cannot be written using carbon paper or similar materials.

A POM prescription must include the name and address of the patient, the date, and the details of the healthcare practitioner who issued the prescription.

A prescription for a POM is valid for 6 months from the date it is issued.

A prescription can only be refilled 6 times, and cannot be dispensed more than 6 months from the date it's written.

A doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, or other qualified professional who can prescribe medicines.

Controlled drugs have stricter rules for refilling and dispensing, compared to normal prescriptions.

After a prescription is written, the medicine needs to be dispensed (given to the patient) within a specific time.

The whole prescribed amount of medication needs to be given out at once, within the legal time limit.

A prescription written by a healthcare professional for a patient to receive medication, but not issued by the NHS.

Indicates a written instruction from a professional for a medicine to be supplied.

A type of prescription where the date is set later than the current day.

The name of the drug, its strength, form, dose, frequency, and quantity.

The type of healthcare professional issuing the prescription. For example, 'GP' or 'Nurse Practitioner'.

A prescription for a POM that can be refilled multiple times within a specified time frame.

A system where patients can request refillable prescriptions directly from their pharmacy without visiting a doctor each time.

A type of dispensing where a patient's medications are divided into smaller quantities, allowing them to receive their medication in multiple installments.

A prescription written by a dentist for a product found in the BNF.

It is against a pharmacist's terms of service to dispense a prescription written by a dentist for a product not listed in the BNF.

Community practice nurses (like district nurses and health visitors) who have extra training can prescribe a limited number of medicines.

The British National Formulary is the main guideline for nurses prescribing medications.

Prescribing by community nurses is different from supplementary prescribing by independent prescribers.

Community nurses can only prescribe medicines on a specific list, similar to the list dentists use.

Community nurses may use FP10P (Clinac) when prescribing medicines.

An electronic signature that is uniquely linked to the prescription and can detect any changes made to the data. This ensures the integrity and authenticity of the prescription.

The electronic prescription is sent through the NHS Spine to the local pharmacy, allowing them to print out the dispensing tokens.

An electronic prescription can be cancelled by the GP if there are errors. This is done by sending a correction message through the NHS system.

Prescription data should not be changed during specific time periods, often related to weekends or holidays to ensure accuracy and prevent unauthorized modifications.

Electronic prescriptions must be uniquely linked to the prescribing healthcare practitioner, enabling identification of the prescriber.

A medication known to potentially cause developmental issues in children, especially when taken during pregnancy.

Only complete packs of medication should be dispensed, even if the prescription calls for a partial amount.

Legal changes regarding dispensing prescription medications have occurred.

The document highlights the importance of providing safe and correct information to patients about their medications.

The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) and Product Information Sheet (PXT) are important resources for understanding medications.

When a prescription specifies a brand name medication, only that specific brand can be dispensed. A generic equivalent is not allowed.

The dispensed quantity should match the prescription exactly, unless a protocol allows for adjustments.

If a full quantity cannot be dispensed immediately, the patient receives the available portion. The remaining amount must be collected by the pharmacy within the prescription's validity.

Pharmacists should exercise professional judgment to provide a different quantity if the situation requires it.

In COPD cases, pharmacists may be permitted in the future to dispense medications for longer periods.

Prescriptions written by healthcare professionals in approved countries are legally recognized. Approved countries include EEA countries, Switzerland, and MEP countries.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) maintains lists of approved healthcare professionals, which means they are officially recognized as qualified.

All medications must include patient information leaflets (PILs) detailing potential side effects and warnings. The manufacturer's name should be clearly visible on the packaging.

A prescription must include the patient's full name and date of birth. It also needs the doctor's full name, their professional qualifications, and complete contact details, including email address, phone number, and work address. The country where the doctor practices should be specified for record-keeping.

Include the form of the medication (tablet, liquid, etc.), the amount prescribed, and the strength (dosage) in the appropriate areas of the prescription.