Prescribers private prescription forms

Prescription-only medicines (POMs) (see Section 1.3.3) are usually obtained on the authorisation of a valid prescription form (either an NHS or a private prescription form) written by a recognised prescriber registered in the UK and presented at a registered pharmacy (although exceptions to this do exist, for example, dispensing doctors (see Section 2.3.1), in-patient hospital supply (see Section 4.2.1) and emergency supply at the request of a patient (see Sections 7.2 and 7.3)). 

In addition to any clinical and patient-specific considerations that need to be taken into consideration when supplying an item against a prescription, there are a number of additional restrictions that are placed upon certain items being prescribed (and therefore dispensed) on an NHS prescription form. It should be remembered that these restrictions are based upon the nature of the item and are specific to NHS prescription forms (i.e. the item may be prescribed on a private prescription form - see Chapter 5). 

Doctors may prescribe any licensed (i.e. products with a UK marketing authorisation) or unlicensed medicinal product on an NHS prescription form (unless the item is specifically prohibited by the relevant Drug Tariff - see Section 2.6). In addition they may prescribe any licensed or unlicensed product on a private prescription form (see Section 5.1). NHS prescriptions written by doctors for dispensing in the community will usually either be written by general practitioners (GPs) or (less commonly) by hospital doctors. Prescriptions for patients written by hospital doctors that are to be dispensed within the hospital are written on hospital-specific forms (see Section 4.2). 

Dentists are regarded as practitioners and can legally prescribe any licensed or unlicensed medicinal product on a private prescription form (see Section 5.1), although they are ethically expected to limit their prescribing to within their individual area(s) of competence. 

This section contains examples of NHS prescription forms for dispensing within a community pharmacy. Although a number of different examples are used in this section, from a variety of different prescribers, all prescription forms can be addressed by using a standard systematic approach (see Section 3.3 for NHS prescription forms, and Section 5.4 for non-NHS (private) prescription forms). 

Unlike NHS prescription forms, non-NffS (private) prescription forms may be repeatable (except in the case of non-NffS (private) prescription forms for Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 controlled drugs - see Section 6.3.3). In this situation, the prescriber will annotate the prescription form to indicate that the prescription may be dispensed more than once. 

With repeat prescribing on a non-NHS (private) prescription form, the prescriber will annotate with the number of times that the prescription may be repeated (for example, repeat X 3 ). In this example, the prescription may be dispensed a total of four times (i.e. one initial dispensing and then three repeats). On the first, second and third dispensing, the prescription may be returned to the patient as they are not obliged to receive subsequent supplies from the same pharmacy (see Section 5.1.7). However, many patients will return to the same pharmacy and so may ask you to hold the prescription on their behalf. 

As discussed above (Section 5.1.1) it is necessary to identify the prescriber to ensure that he or she is an individual who is legally allowed to prescribe item(s) on a non-NHS (private) prescription form. Non-NHS (private) prescription forms may be written by ... 

Remember, that unlike prescribing on the NHS, prescribers are not limited to the items that they may prescribe on a non-NHS (private) prescription form. However, all prescribers are ethically obliged to only prescribe within their area of competence. 

Therefore, it would not be uncommon for a dentist to prescribe analgesic medication on a non-NHS (private) prescription form for a patient under his care, even if that item was not in the Dental Practitioners Formulary (see Section 3.2.2). However, it would be unusual for them to prescribe, for example, medication for the treatment of schizophrenia. If a pharmacist received a non-NHS (private) prescription form from a dentist for medication to treat schizophrenia, the pharmacist should query the supply with the prescribing dentist to confirm that the dentist is prescribing within their area of competence. 

Unlike NHS prescription supply (see Section 3.3.8), the patient or the patient s representative will pay you for the entire cost of the medication (plus a mark-up cost and dispensing fee charged by the pharmacy to cover their costs). Therefore, non-NHS (private) prescription forms do not need to be sent off to the NHS Business Services Prescription Pricing Division (or equivalent) for reimbursement at the end of each month (except with the private prescribing of Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 controlled drugs see Section 6.3.3). 

Legally written Yes. The item (clarithromycin) is not listed within the Dental Practitioners Formulary however, as this is a private prescription form, the dentist is not limited to prescribing from within this list. 

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