The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2015

PART 8 Prescribing and dispensing

Prescribing: general

55.—(1) The contractor must ensure that—

(a) any prescription form or repeatable prescription issued or created by a prescriber;

(b) any home oxygen order form issued by a health care professional; and

(c) any listed medicines voucher issued by a prescriber or any other person acting under the contract,

complies as appropriate with the requirements in regulations 56, 57 and 59 to 63.

(2) For the purposes of regulations 56, 57 and 59 to 63 in their application to a contractor whose contract includes the provision of contraceptive services, a reference to “drugs” includes contraceptive substances and a reference to “appliances” includes contraceptive appliances.

Orders for drugs, medicines or appliances

56.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and to the restrictions on prescribing in regulations 61 and 62, a prescriber must order any drugs, medicines or appliances which are needed for the treatment of any patient who is receiving treatment under the contract by—

(a) issuing to the patient a non-electronic prescription form or a non-electronic repeatable prescription completed in accordance with paragraph (6); or

(b) creating and transmitting an electronic prescription in circumstances to which regulation 57(1) applies,

and a non-electronic prescription form, non-electronic repeatable prescription or electronic prescription that is for health service use must not be used in any other circumstances.

(2) A healthcare professional must order any home oxygen services which are needed for the treatment of a patient who is receiving treatment under the contract by issuing a home oxygen order form.

(3) During an outbreak of an illness for which a listed medicine may be used for a treatment or for prophylaxis, if—

(a) the Secretary of State or the Board has made arrangements for the distribution of a listed medicine free of charge; and

(b) that listed medicine is needed for treatment or prophylaxis of any patient who is receiving treatment under the contract,

a prescriber may order that listed medicine by using a listed medicines voucher and must sign that listed medicines voucher if one is used.

(4) During an outbreak of an illness for which a listed medicine may be used for a treatment or for prophylaxis, if—

(a) the Secretary of State or the Board has made arrangements for the distribution of a listed medicine free of charge;

(b) those arrangements contain criteria set out in a protocol which enable persons who are not prescribers to identify the symptoms of, and whether there is a need for treatment of that disease or for or prophylaxis;

(c) a person acting on behalf of the contractor, who is not a prescriber but who is authorised by the Board to order listed medicines, has applied the criteria referred to in sub-paragraph (b) to a patient who is receiving treatment under the contract; and

(d) having applied the criteria, that person has concluded that the listed medicine is needed for the treatment or prophylaxis of the patient,

that person may order that listed medicine by using a listed medicines voucher and must sign that listed medicines voucher if one is used.

(5) A prescriber may only order drugs, medicines or appliances on a repeatable prescription where the drugs, medicines or appliances are to be provided more than once.

(6) In issuing a non-electronic prescription form or a non-electronic repeatable prescription, the prescriber must—

(a) sign the prescription form or repeatable prescription in ink in the prescriber’s own handwriting, and not by means of a stamp, with the prescriber’s initials, or forenames, and surname; and

(b) only sign the prescription or repeatable prescription after particulars of the order have been inserted in the prescription form or repeatable prescription.

(7) A prescription form or repeatable prescription must not refer to any previous prescription form or repeatable prescription form.

(8) A separate prescription form or repeatable prescription must be used for each patient, except where a bulk prescription is issued for a school or institution under regulation 63.

(9) A home oxygen order form must be signed by a health care professional.

(10) Where a prescriber orders the drug buprenorphine or diazepam or a drug specified in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001(1) (controlled drugs to which regulations 14 to 16, 18 to 21, 23, 26 and 27 of those Regulations apply) for supply by instalments for treating addiction to any drug specified in that Schedule, the prescriber must—

(a) use only the prescription form provided specially for the purposes of supply by instalments;

(b) specify the number of instalments to be dispensed and the interval between each instalment; and

(c) order only such quantity of the drug as will provide treatment for a period not exceeding 14 days.

(11) The prescription form provided specially for the purpose of supply by instalments must not be used for any purpose other than ordering drugs in accordance with paragraph (10).

(12) In an urgent case, a prescriber may only request a chemist to dispense a drug or medicine before a prescription form or repeatable prescription is issued or created if—

(a) the drug or medicine is not a Scheduled drug;

(b) the drug is not a controlled drug within the meaning of section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971(2) (which relates to controlled drugs and their classification for the purposes of that Act), other than a drug which is for the time being specified in Part 1 of Schedule 4 (controlled drugs subject to the requirements of regulations 22, 23, 26 and 27) or Schedule 5 (controlled drugs excepted from the prohibition on importation, exportation and possession and subject to the requirements of regulations 24 and 26) to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001(3); and

(c) the prescriber undertakes to—

(i) provide the chemist within 72 hours from the time of the request with a non-electronic prescription form or a non-electronic repeatable prescription completed in accordance with paragraph (6), or

(ii) transmit by the Electronic Prescription Service within 72 hours from the time of the request an electronic prescription.

(13) In an urgent case, a prescriber may only request a chemist to dispense an appliance before a prescription form or repeatable prescription form is issued or created if—

(a) the appliance does not contain a Scheduled drug, or a controlled drug within the meaning of section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (which relates to controlled drugs and their classification for the purposes of that Act), other than a drug which is for the time being specified in Schedule 5 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (controlled drugs excepted from the prohibition on importation, exportation and possession and subject to the requirements of regulations 24 and 26);

(b) if the appliance is a restricted availability appliance, the patient is a person, or it is for a purpose, specified in the Drug Tariff; and

(c) the prescriber undertakes to—

(i) provide the chemist within 72 hours from the time of the request with a non-electronic prescription form or non-electronic repeatable prescription completed in accordance with paragraph (6), or

(ii) transmit by the Electronic Prescription Service within 72 hours from the time of the request an electronic prescription.

Electronic prescriptions

57.—(1) A prescriber may only order drugs, medicines or appliances by means of an electronic prescription if—

(a) the Board authorises the contractor to use the Electronic Prescription Service;

(b) the patient to whom the prescription relates has—

(i) nominated one or more dispensers,

(ii) confirmed the intention to use that dispenser (or one of them) for the purposes of obtaining the drugs, medicines or appliances ordered on the electronic prescription in question, and

(iii) consented to the use of an electronic prescription on the particular occasion; and

(c) the prescription is not—

(i) for a controlled drug within the meaning of section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971(4) (which relates to controlled drugs and their classification for the purposes of that Act), other than a drug which is for the time being specified in Schedules 2 to 5 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, or

(ii) a bulk prescription issued for a school or institution under regulation 63.

(2) A health care professional may not order home oxygen services by means of an electronic prescription.

(3) In relation to a patient who is a child or an adult who lacks capacity to nominate a dispenser, paragraph (1)(b) applies as if the reference to the patient to whom the prescription relates included a reference to—

(a) where the patient is a child—

(i) either parent, or in the absence of both parents, the guardian or other adult who has care of the patient,

(ii) a person duly authorised by a local authority to whose care the patient has been committed under the Children Act 1989(5), or

(iii) a person duly authorised by a voluntary organisation by which the patient is being accommodated under the Children Act 1989; or

(b) where the patient is an adult who lacks capacity to make such a request, the patient’s relative, primary carer, a donee of a lasting power of attorney granted by that person or a deputy appointed for that person by a court under the Mental Capacity Act 2005(6).

(4) A prescriber who orders drugs, medicines or appliances by means of an electronic prescription must, in the case of—

(a) an electronic repeatable prescription, issue the patient, if the patient so requests, with a form provided by the Board for the purpose of recording details of that prescription and linked to that prescription by a number contained on the form; and

(b) an electronic prescription form, issue the patient, if the patient so requests, with a written record of the prescription which has been created.

Nomination of dispensers for the purposes of electronic prescriptions

58.—(1) A contractor authorised to use the Electronic Prescription Service for its patients must enter into the particulars relating to the patient which are held in the Patient Demographic Service managed by the Health and Social Care Information Centre(7)—

(a) where the patient does not have a nominated dispenser, the dispenser chosen by the patient; and

(b) where the patient does have a nominated dispenser—

(i) a replacement dispenser, or

(ii) a further dispenser,

chosen by the patient.

(2) Paragraph (1)(b)(ii) does not apply if the number of the nominated dispensers would thereby exceed the maximum number permitted by the Electronic Prescription Service.

(3) A request for the nomination of a dispenser may be made—

(a) where the patient is a child, on behalf of the patient—

(i) by either parent, or in the absence of both parents, the guardian or other adult who has care of the patient,

(ii) by a person duly authorised by a local authority to whose care the patient has been committed under the Children Act 1989(8), or

(iii) by a person duly authorised by a voluntary organisation by which the patient is being accommodated under the Children Act 1989; or

(b) where the patient is an adult who lacks capacity to make such a request, by a relative or a primary carer of the patient, a donee of a lasting power of attorney granted by the patient or a deputy appointed for the patient by the court under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

(4) A contractor must—

(a) not seek to persuade a patient to nominate a dispenser recommended by the prescriber or the contractor; and

(b) if asked by a patient to recommend a chemist whom the patient might nominate as the patient’s dispenser, provide the patient with the list given to the contractor by the Board of all chemists in the area who provide an Electronic Prescription Service.

Repeatable prescribing services

59.—(1) The contractor may only provide repeatable prescribing services to a person on its list of patients if the contractor—

(a) satisfies the conditions specified in paragraph (2); and

(b) has given notice in writing to the Board of its intention to provide repeatable prescribing services in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4).

(2) The conditions specified in this paragraph are that—

(a) the contractor has access to computer systems and software which enable it to issue non-electronic repeatable prescriptions and batch issues; and

(b) the practice premises at which the repeatable prescribing services are to be provided are located in a local authority area in which there is also located the premises of at least one chemist who has undertaken to provide, or has entered into arrangements to provide, repeat dispensing services.

(3) The notice given under paragraph (1)(b) must confirm that the contractor—

(a) wants to provide repeatable prescribing services;

(b) intends to begin providing those services from a specified date; and

(c) satisfies the conditions specified in paragraph (2).

(4) The date specified by the contractor under paragraph (3)(b) must be at least ten days after the date on which the notice under paragraph (1)(b) was given.

(5) Nothing in this regulation requires a contractor or a prescriber to provide repeatable prescribing services to any person.

(6) A prescriber may only provide repeatable prescribing services to a person on a particular occasion if—

(a) the person has agreed to receive such services on that occasion; and

(b) the prescriber considers that it is clinically appropriate to provide such services to that person on that occasion.

(7) The contractor may not provide repeatable prescribing services to any person on its list of patients to whom any person specified in paragraph (8) is authorised or required by the Board to provide pharmaceutical services in accordance with arrangements under section 126(9) (arrangements for pharmaceutical services) and section 132(10) (persons authorised to provide pharmaceutical services) of the Act.

(8) The persons specified in this paragraph are—

(a) in the case of a contract with an individual medical practitioner, that medical practitioner;

(b) in the case of a contract with two or more persons practising in a partnership, any medical practitioner who is a partner in the partnership;

(c) in the case of a contract with a company limited by shares, any medical practitioner who is both a legal and beneficial shareholder in that company; or

(d) any medical practitioner employed or engaged by the contractor.

Repeatable prescriptions

60.—(1) A prescriber who issues a non-electronic repeatable prescription must at the same time issue the appropriate number of batch issues.

(2) Where a prescriber wants to make a change to the type, quantity, strength or dosage of drugs, medicines or appliances ordered on a person’s repeatable prescription, the prescriber must—

(a) in the case of a non-electronic repeatable prescription—

(i) give notice to the person, and

(ii) make reasonable efforts to give notice to the chemist providing repeat dispensing services to the person,

that the original repeatable prescription should no longer be used to obtain or provide repeat dispensing services and make arrangements for a replacement repeatable prescription to be issued to the person; or

(b) in the case of an electronic repeatable prescription—

(i) arrange with the Electronic Prescription Service for the cancellation of the original repeatable prescription, and

(ii) create a replacement prescription relating to the person and give notice to the person that this has been done.

(3) Where a prescriber has created an electronic repeatable prescription for a person, the prescriber must, as soon as practicable, arrange with the Electronic Prescription Service for its cancellation if, before the expiry of that prescription—

(a) the prescriber considers that it is no longer safe or appropriate for the person to receive the drugs, medicines or appliances ordered on the person’s electronic repeatable prescription or it is no longer safe or appropriate for the person to continue to receive repeatable prescribing services;

(b) the prescriber has issued the person with a non-electronic repeatable prescription in place of the electronic repeatable prescription; or

(c) it comes to the prescriber’s notice that the person has been removed from the list of patients of the contractor on whose behalf the prescription was issued.

(4) Where a prescriber has cancelled an electronic repeatable prescription relating to a person in accordance with paragraph (3), the prescriber must give notice of the cancellation to the person as soon as possible.

(5) A prescriber who has issued a non-electronic repeatable prescription in relation to a person must, as soon as possible, make reasonable efforts to give notice to the chemist that that repeatable prescription should no longer be used to provide repeat dispensing services to that person, if, before the expiry of that repeatable prescription—

(a) the prescriber considers that it is no longer safe or appropriate for the person to receive the drugs, medicines or appliances ordered on the person’s repeatable prescription or that it is no longer safe or appropriate for the person to continue to receive repeatable prescribing services;

(b) the prescriber issues or creates a further repeatable prescription in respect of the person to replace the original repeatable prescription other than in the circumstances referred to in paragraph (2)(a) (for example, because the person wants to obtain the drugs, medicines or appliances from a different chemist); or

(c) it comes to the prescriber’s notice that the person has been removed from the list of patients of the contractor on whose behalf the prescription was issued.

(6) Where the circumstances in paragraph (5)(a) to (c) apply in respect of a person, the prescriber must as soon as possible give notice to that person that their repeatable prescription should no longer be used to obtain repeat dispensing services.

Restrictions on prescribing by medical practitioners

61.—(1) A medical practitioner, in the course of treating a patient to whom the practitioner is providing treatment under the contract, must comply with the following paragraphs.

(2) The medical practitioner must not order on a listed medicines voucher, prescription form or a repeatable prescription a drug, medicine or other substance specified in any directions given by the Secretary of State in regulations made under section 88 of the Act(11) (GMS contracts: prescription of drugs etc) as being drugs, medicines or other substances which may not be ordered for patients in the provision of medical services under the contract.

(3) The medical practitioner must not order on a listed medicines voucher, a prescription form or repeatable prescription a drug, medicine or other substance specified in any directions given by the Secretary of State under section 88 of the Act (GMS contracts: prescription of drugs etc) as being a drug, medicine or other substance which can only be ordered for specified patients and for specified purposes unless—

(a) the patient is a person of the specified description;

(b) the drug, medicine or other substance is prescribed for that patient only for the specified purpose; and

(c) if the order is on a prescription form, the practitioner includes on the form—

(i) the reference “SLS”, or

(ii) if the order is under arrangements made by the Secretary of State or the Board for the distribution of a listed medicine free of charge, the reference “ACP”.

(4) The medical practitioner must not order on a prescription form or repeatable prescription a restricted availability appliance unless—

(a) the patient is a person, or it is for a purpose, specified in the Drug Tariff; and

(b) the practitioner includes on the prescription form the reference “SLS”.

(5) The medical practitioner must not order on a repeatable prescription a controlled drug within the meaning of section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971(12) (which relates to controlled drugs and their classification for the purposes of that Act) , other than a drug which is for the time being specified in Schedule 4 (controlled drugs excepted from the prohibition on importation, exportation and possession and subject to the requirements of regulations 24 and 26) or Schedule 5 (controlled drugs excepted from the prohibition on importation, exportation and possession and subject to the requirements of regulations 24 and 26) to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001(13).

(6) Subject to regulation 24(2)(b) and to paragraph (7), nothing in the preceding paragraphs prevents a medical practitioner, in the course of treating a patient to whom this regulation refers, from prescribing a drug, medicine or other substance or, as the case may be, a restricted availability appliance or a controlled drug within the meaning of section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (which relates to controlled drugs and their classification for the purposes of that Act), for the treatment of that patient under a private arrangement.

(7) Where, under paragraph (6), a drug, medicine or other substance is prescribed under a private arrangement, if the order is to be transmitted as an electronic communication to a chemist for the drug, medicine or appliance to be dispensed—

(a) if the order is not for a drug for the time being specified in Schedule 2 (controlled drugs subject to the requirements of regulations 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26 and 27) or 3 (controlled drugs subject to the requirements of regulations 14, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 24, 26 and 27) to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001(14), it may be transmitted by the Electronic Prescription Service; but

(b) if the order is for a drug for the time being specified in Schedule 2 (controlled drugs subject to the requirements of regulations 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26 and 27) or 3 (controlled drugs subject to the requirements of regulations 14, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 24, 26 and 27) to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, it must be transmitted by the Electronic Prescription Service.

Restrictions on prescribing by supplementary prescribers

62.—(1) The contractor must have arrangements in place to secure that a supplementary prescriber may only—

(a) issue or create a prescription for a prescription only medicine;

(b) administer a prescription only medicine for parenteral administration; or

(c) give directions for the administration of a prescription only medicine for parenteral administration,

as a supplementary prescriber under the conditions set out in paragraph (2).

(2) The conditions set out in this paragraph are that—

(a) the person satisfies the conditions in regulation 215 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012(15) (prescribing and administration by supplementary prescribers), unless those conditions do not apply by virtue of any of the exemptions set out in the subsequent provisions of those Regulations;

(b) the medicine is not specified in any directions given by the Secretary of State in regulations under section 88 of the Act(16) (GMS contracts: prescription of drugs etc) as being a drug, medicine or other substance which may not be ordered for patients in the provision of medical services under the contract;

(c) the medicine is not specified in any directions given by the Secretary of State under section 88 of the Act (GMS contracts: prescription of drugs etc) as being a drug, medicine or other substance which can only be ordered for specified patients and specified purposes unless—

(i) the patient is a person of the specified description,

(ii) the medicine is prescribed for that patient only for the specified purposes, and

(iii) if the supplementary prescriber is issuing or creating a prescription on a prescription form the prescriber includes on the form—

(aa) the reference “SLS”, or

(bb) in the case of a listed medicine ordered under arrangements made by the Secretary of State or the Board for the medicine’s distribution free of charge, the reference “ACP”.

(3) Where the functions of a supplementary prescriber include prescribing, the contractor must have arrangements in place to secure that the person may only issue or create a prescription for—

(a) an appliance; or

(b) a medicine which is not a prescription only medicine,

as a supplementary prescriber under the conditions set out in paragraph (4).

(4) The conditions set out in this paragraph are that—

(a) the supplementary prescriber acts in accordance with a clinical management plan which is in effect at the time when that prescriber acts and which contains the following particulars—

(i) the name of the patient to whom the plan relates,

(ii) the illness or conditions which may be treated by the supplementary prescriber,

(iii) the date on which the plan is to take effect, and when it is to be reviewed by the medical practitioner or dentist who is a party to the plan,

(iv) reference to the class or description of medicines or types of appliances which may be prescribed or administered under the plan,

(v) any restrictions or limitations as to the strength or dose of any medicine which may be prescribed or administered under the plan, and any period of administration or use of any medicine or appliance which may be prescribed or administered under the plan,

(vi) relevant warnings about known sensitivities of the patient to, or known difficulties of the patient with, particular medicines or appliances,

(vii) the arrangements for giving notice of—

(aa) suspected or known adverse reactions to any medicine which may be prescribed or administered under the plan, and suspected or known adverse reactions to any other medicine taken at the same time as any medicine prescribed or administered under the plan, and

(bb) incidents occurring with the appliance that might lead, might have led or have led to the death or serious deterioration of the state of health of the patient, and

(viii) the circumstances in which the supplementary prescriber should refer to, or seek the advice of the medical practitioner or dentist who is a party to the plan;

(b) the supplementary prescriber has access to the health records of the patient to whom the plan relates which are used by a medical practitioner or dentist who is a party to the plan;

(c) if it is a prescription for a prescription only medicine, that prescription only medicine is not specified in any directions given by the Secretary of State in regulations made under section 88 of the Act(17) (GMS contracts: prescription of drugs etc) as being a medicine which may not be ordered for patients in the provision of medical services under the contract;

(d) if it is a prescription for a prescription only medicine which is not specified in any directions given by the Secretary of State under section 88 of the Act (GMS contracts: prescription of drugs etc) as being a medicine which can only be ordered for specified patients and specified purposes unless—

(i) the patient is a person of the specified description,

(ii) the medicine is prescribed for that patient only for the specified purposes, and

(iii) when issuing or creating the prescription, the supplementary prescriber includes on the prescription form the reference “SLS”;

(e) if it is prescription for an appliance, the appliance is listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff; and

(f) if it is a prescription for a restricted availability appliance—

(i) the patient is a person of the description mentioned in the entry in Part IX of the Drug Tariff in respect of that appliance,

(ii) the appliance is prescribed only for the purposes specified in respect of that person in that entry, and

(iii) when issuing or creating the prescription, the supplementary prescriber includes on the prescription form the reference “SLS”.

(5) In paragraph (4)(a), “clinical management plan” means a written plan (which may be amended from time to time) relating to the treatment of an individual patient agreed by—

(a) the patient to whom the plan relates;

(b) the medical practitioner or dentist who is a party to the plan; and

(c) any supplementary prescriber who is to prescribe, give directions for administration or administer under the plan.

Bulk prescribing

63.—(1) A prescriber may use a single non-electronic prescription form where—

(a) a contractor is responsible under the contract for the treatment of ten or more persons in a school or other institution in which at least 20 persons normally reside; and

(b) the prescriber orders, for any two or more of those persons for whose treatment the contractor is responsible, drugs, medicines or appliances to which this regulation applies.

(2) Where a prescriber uses a single non-electronic prescription form for the purpose mentioned in paragraph (1)(b), the prescriber must (instead of entering on the form the names of the persons for whom the drugs, medicines or appliances are ordered) enter on the form—

(a) the name of the school or other institution in which those persons reside; and

(b) the number of persons residing there for whose treatment the contractor is responsible.

(3) This regulation applies to any drug, medicine or appliance which can be supplied as part of pharmaceutical services or local pharmaceutical services and which in the case of—

(a) a drug or medicine, is not a prescription only medicine; or

(b) an appliance, does not contain such a product.

Excessive prescribing

64.—(1) The contractor must not prescribe drugs, medicines or appliances the cost or quantity of which, in relation to a patient, is, by reason of the character of the drug, medicine or appliance in question, in excess of that which was reasonably necessary for the proper treatment of the patient.

(2) In considering whether a contractor has breached its obligations under paragraph (1), the Board must seek the views of the Local Medical Committee (if any) for the area in which the contractor provides services under the contract.

Provision of drugs, medicines and appliances for immediate treatment or personal administration

65.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), a contractor—

(a) must provide to a patient a drug, medicine or appliance, which is not a Scheduled drug, where such provision is needed for the immediate treatment of the patient before provision can otherwise be obtained; and

(b) may provide to a patient a drug, medicine or appliance, which is not a Scheduled drug, which the contractor personally administers or applies to the patient.

(2) A contractor must only provide a restricted availability appliance under paragraph (1)(a) or (b) if it is for a person or a purpose specified in the Drug Tariff.

(3) Nothing in paragraph (1) or (2) authorises a person to supply a prescription only medicine to a patient otherwise than in accordance with Part 12 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012(18) (which relates to dealings with medicinal products).

(1)

S.I. 2001/3998. Schedule 2 was amended by S.I. 2003/1432, S.I. 2009/3136, S.I. 2011/448, S.I. 2014/1275 and 3277 and S.I. 2015/891.

(2)

1971 c.38. Section 2 was amended by paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 17 to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13).

(3)

S.I. 2001/3998. Schedule 4 was amended by S.I. 2003/1432, S.I. 2005/3372, S.I. 2007/2154, S.I. 2009/3136, S.I. 2013/625, S.I. 2014/1275 and 3277 and S.I. 2015/891. Schedule 5 was amended by S.I. 2005/2864.

(4)

1971 c.38. Section 2 was amended by paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 17 to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13).

(5)

1989 c.41.

(6)

2005 c.9.

(7)

The Health and Social Care Information Centre is a body corporate established by section 252(1) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c.7).

(8)

1989 c.41.

(9)

Section 126 was amended by sections 213(7)(k) and 220(7) of, and paragraph 63 of Schedule 4 to, the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c.7).

(10)

Section 132 was amended by paragraph 69 of Schedule 4 to the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c.7), section 115 (1) of, and paragraphs 120 and 121 of Schedule 9 to, the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (c. 9), and by S.I. 2007/289 and S.I. 2010/22 and 231.

(11)

See the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs, Medicines and Appliances etc) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/639) for the Directions given by the Secretary of State under section 88 of the Act. S.I. 2004/639 was amended by S.I. 2004/3215, S.I. 2009/2230, S.I. 2010/2389, S.I. 2011/680 and 1043, S.I. 2013/ 363 and 2494 and S.I. 2014/1625.

(12)

1971 c.38.

(13)

S.I. 2001/3998. Schedule 4 was amended by S.I. 2003/1432, S.I. 2005/3372, S.I. 2007/2154, S.I. 2009/3136, S.I. 2013/625, S.I. 2014/1275 and 3277 and S.I. 2015/891. Schedule 5 was amended by S.I. 2005/2864.

(14)

S.I. 2001/3998. Schedules 2 and 3 were amended by S.I. 2003/1432, S.I. 2007/2154, S.I. 2009/3136, S.I. 2011/448, S.I. 2012/1311, S.I. 2014/1275 and 3277 and S.I. 2015/891.

(15)

S.I. 2012/1916. There are no amendments to regulation 215.

(16)

See the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs, Medicines and Appliances etc) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/639) for the Directions given by the Secretary of State under section 88 of the Act. S.I. 2004/639 was amended by S.I. 2004/3215, S.I. 2009/2230, S.I. 2010/2389, S.I. 2011/680 and 1043, S.I. 2013/ 363 and 2494 and S.I. 2014/1625.

(17)

See the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs, Medicines and Appliances etc) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/639) for the Directions given by the Secretary of State under section 88 of the Act. S.I. 2004/639 was amended by S.I. 2004/3215, S.I. 2009/2230, S.I. 2010/2389, S.I. 2011/680 and 1043, S.I. 2013/363 and 2494 and S.I. 2014/1625.

(18)

S.I. 2012/1916; as amended by S.I. 2013/235, 1855 and 2593, S.I. 2014/490 and 1887, and S.I. 2015/323, 570, 903 and 1503.