The National Health Service (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995

Prescribing and dispensing

30.—(1) Subject to paragraphs 29 and 31 a doctor shall order any drugs or appliances which are needed for the treatment of any patient to whom he is providing treatment under these terms of service by issuing for that patient a prescription form, and such a form shall not be used in any other circumstances.

(2) A prescription form shall be signed by the doctor with his own hand and shall not be written in such a manner as to necessitate reference on the part of the person supplying the drugs or appliances to a previous order, and in the case of an appliance which requires to be of a size suitable for the individual patient shall include the necessary measurements. A separate prescription form shall be used for each patient.

(3) In a case of urgency a doctor may request a pharmacist to dispense a drug, or an appliance, before a prescription form is issued, only if—

(a) that drug is not a scheduled drug;

(b) that drug is not a controlled drug within the meaning of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971(1) other than a drug which is for the time being specified in Schedule 5 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985(2); and

(c) in any case, the doctor undertakes to furnish the pharmacist, within 72 hours, with a prescription form completed in accordance with sub-paragraphs (1) and (2).

(1)

1971 c. 38.

(2)

S.I. 1985/2066, the relevant amending instrument is S.I. 1986/2330.