Prescribers must
• electronically generate and/or write legible unambiguous and complete prescriptions
which meet legal requirements
• effectively use the systems necessary to prescribe medicines
• document accurate, legible contemporaneous clinical records
Definitions
• Prescription- an instruction written by a medical practitioner that authorises a patient to
be issued with a medicine or treatment; the action of prescribing a medicine/treatment
• Patient Specific Directions (PSDs): written instructions from a doctor, dentist or non-
medical prescriber for a medicine to be supplied or administered to a named patient
after the prescriber has assessed the patient on an individual basis; issued in hospitals
Who can prescribe?
• Medical practitioners
• Veterinary surgeons
• Non medical prescribers (e.g nurses, optometrists, pharmacists etc
Non-Medical prescribers
• Independent NMPs: can prescribe any medicine for any medical condition within their
competence; responsible and accountable for the assessment of patients with
undiagnosed and diagnosed conditions and for decisions about the clinical
management
• Supplementary NMPs: a voluntary partnership with an independent prescriber to
implement an agreed patient-specific clinical management plan with the patient's
agreement
Pharmacological Therapy- Primary Care, England (2019-20)
Why are prescriptions standardised?
• to minimise the risk of fraudulency
• reduce error
• identify elements of accountability
• facilitate remuneration for medicines
• allow for the collection of data on prescribing patterns and costs
Legal requirements for a prescription
• Patient identification
• Age/DOB (if under 12)
• Must be signed
• Must be dated
• electronically generate and/or write legible unambiguous and complete prescriptions
which meet legal requirements
• effectively use the systems necessary to prescribe medicines
• document accurate, legible contemporaneous clinical records
Definitions
• Prescription- an instruction written by a medical practitioner that authorises a patient to
be issued with a medicine or treatment; the action of prescribing a medicine/treatment
• Patient Specific Directions (PSDs): written instructions from a doctor, dentist or non-
medical prescriber for a medicine to be supplied or administered to a named patient
after the prescriber has assessed the patient on an individual basis; issued in hospitals
Who can prescribe?
• Medical practitioners
• Veterinary surgeons
• Non medical prescribers (e.g nurses, optometrists, pharmacists etc
Non-Medical prescribers
• Independent NMPs: can prescribe any medicine for any medical condition within their
competence; responsible and accountable for the assessment of patients with
undiagnosed and diagnosed conditions and for decisions about the clinical
management
• Supplementary NMPs: a voluntary partnership with an independent prescriber to
implement an agreed patient-specific clinical management plan with the patient's
agreement
Pharmacological Therapy- Primary Care, England (2019-20)
Why are prescriptions standardised?
• to minimise the risk of fraudulency
• reduce error
• identify elements of accountability
• facilitate remuneration for medicines
• allow for the collection of data on prescribing patterns and costs
Legal requirements for a prescription
• Patient identification
• Age/DOB (if under 12)
• Must be signed
• Must be dated
