Amendment of the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 19972

1

The Pharmaceutical Regulations are amended as follows.

2

In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—

a

in the definition of “independent nurse prescriber”5, for sub-paragraph (b) substitute the following sub-paragraph—

b

against whose name in that register is recorded an annotation signifying that he is qualified to order drugs, medicines and appliances as a community practitioner nurse prescriber, a nurse independent prescriber or a nurse independent/supplementary prescriber;

b

omit the definition of “nurses and midwives’ professional register”6;

c

for the definition of “Nursing and Midwifery Register”7 substitute the following definition—

  • “Nursing and Midwifery Register” means the register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Council under Article 5 of the Nursing and Midwifery Order 20018;

d

after the definition of “obstetric list” insert the following definition—

  • “optometrist independent prescriber” means a person—

    1. a

      who is registered in the register maintained by the General Optical Council in pursuance of section 7 of the Opticians Act 19899; and

    2. b

      against whose name in that register is recorded an annotation that he is qualified to order drugs, medicines and appliances as an optometrist independent prescriber;

e

after the definition of “pharmacist” insert the following definition—

  • “pharmacist independent prescriber” means a person—

    1. a

      who is registered in the register maintained in pursuance of Articles 6 and 9 of the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 197610 or in Part 1 of the register maintained under Article 10(1) of the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order 200711; and

    2. b

      against whose name in that register is recorded an annotation signifying that he is qualified to order drugs, medicines and appliances as a pharmacist independent prescriber;

f

for the definition of “prescriber”12 substitute—

  • “prescriber” means a doctor, dentist, an independent nurse prescriber, an optometrist independent prescriber, a pharmacist independent prescriber or a supplementary prescriber;

g

for the definition of “prescription form”13, substitute—

  • “prescription form” means a form provided by the RBSO and issued by a prescriber to enable a person to obtain pharmaceutical services and—

    1. a

      includes a prescription form provided and issued under equivalent arrangements having effect in England, Scotland or Wales; and

    2. b

      does not include a repeatable prescription;

h

in the definition of “relevant register”14, for sub-paragraph (b) substitute the following sub-paragraph—

b

in relation to a pharmacist, the register maintained under Article 10(1) (the Register of Pharmacists) of the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order 2007 or the register maintained in pursuance of Articles 6 (the registers) and 9 (the registrar) of the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976;

i

in the definition of “repeatable prescriber”15, insert the following sub-paragraph—

c

employed or engaged by the Regional Board or HSC trust to provide repeatable prescribing services.

j

for the definition of “supplementary prescriber”16 substitute the following definition—

  • “supplementary prescriber” means a person—

    1. a

      whose name is registered in—

      1. i

        the Nursing and Midwifery Register,

      2. ii

        Part 1 of the Register of Pharmacists maintained under Article 10(1) of the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Order 2007,

      3. iii

        the register maintained in pursuance of Articles 6 and 9 of the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976,

      4. iv

        the part of the register maintained by the Health Professions Council in pursuance of Article 5 of the Health Professions Order 200117 relating to—

        1. aa

          chiropodists and podiatrists;

        2. bb

          physiotherapists; or

        3. cc

          diagnostic or therapeutic radiographers; or

      5. v

        the register of optometrists maintained by the General Optical Council in pursuance of section 7 of the Opticians Act 1989; and

    2. b

      against whose name is recorded in the relevant register an annotation signifying that he is qualified to order drugs, medicines and appliances as a supplementary prescriber or, in the case of the Nursing and Midwifery Register, a nurse independent/supplementary prescriber;