The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2012

Further activities to be carried out in connection with the provision of dispensing services

10.—(1) In connection with the services provided under paragraph 4, an NHS pharmacist (P) must—

(a)ensure that appropriate advice is given to patients about any drugs or appliances provided to them—

(i)to enable them to utilise the drugs or appliances appropriately, and

(ii)to meet the patient’s reasonable needs for general information about the drugs or appliances;

(b)provide appropriate advice to patients to whom they provide drugs or appliances on—

(i)the safe keeping of the drugs or appliances, and

(ii)returning unwanted drugs or appliances to the pharmacy for safe destruction;

(c)when providing drugs to patients in accordance with a repeatable prescription, provide appropriate advice in particular on the importance of only requesting those items which they actually need;

(d)when providing appliances to patients in accordance with a prescription form or repeatable prescription—

(i)provide appropriate advice in particular on the importance of only requesting those items which they actually need, and

(ii)for those purposes, have regard to the details contained in the records maintained under paragraph (f) in respect of the provision of appliances and prescribing pattern relating to the patient in question;

(e)provide a patient with a written note of any drug or appliance which is owed, and inform the patient when it is expected that the drug or appliance will become available;

(f)keep and maintain records—

(i)of drugs and appliances provided, in order to facilitate the continued care of the patient;

(ii)in appropriate cases, of advice given and any interventions or referrals made (including clinically significant interventions in cases involving repeatable prescriptions), and

(iii)of notes provided under sub-paragraph (e);

(g)undertake appropriate training in respect of repeat dispensing, having regard to any recommendations in respect of such training set out in the Drug Tariff;

(h)if P takes possession of a non-electronic repeatable prescription or an associated batch issue, securely store that repeatable prescription or associated batch issue;

(i)if P provides a drug or appliance under an electronic prescription, provide the patient, if the patient so requests, with a written record of the drugs or appliances ordered on that prescription and, in the case of an electronic repeatable prescription, of the number of occasions on which it can be dispensed;

(j)maintain records of repeatable prescriptions in such a form as to provide a clear audit trail of supplies under the repeatable prescription (including dates and quantities supplied);

(k)destroy any surplus batch issues relating to drugs or appliances—

(i)which are not required, or

(ii)where a patient is refused the drugs or appliances pursuant to paragraph 9;

(l)ensure that where a person is refused drugs or appliances pursuant to paragraphs 9(1)(b), (2), (3) or (4), the patient is referred back to the prescriber for further advice;

(m)where a patient is provided with drugs or appliances under a repeatable prescription, notify the prescriber of any clinically significant issues arising in connection with the prescription and keep a record of that notification;

(n)notify the prescriber of any refusal to provide drugs or appliances pursuant to paragraph 9(4);

(o)when providing appliances, provide a patient with a written note of P’s name, address and telephone number; and

(p)when providing specified appliances, comply with the additional requirements set out in paragraph 12.

(2) Where, on presentation of a prescription form or repeatable prescription in connection with the dispensing services under paragraph 4, P is unable to provide an appliance, or stoma appliance customisation is required and P is unable to provide that, P shall—

(a)if the patient consents, refer the prescription form or repeatable prescription to another NHS pharmacist or to an NHS appliance contractor; and

(b)if the patient does not consent to a referral, provide the patient with contact details of at least 2 people who are NHS pharmacists or NHS appliance contractors who are able to provide the appliance or stoma appliance customisation (as the case may be), if these details are known to P.