The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Appliances) (Amendment) Regulations 2009

Amendment of paragraph 8

18.—(1) Amend paragraph 8 (further activities to be carried out in connection with the provision of dispensing services) as follows.

(2) Renumber the existing provision as sub-paragraph (1).

(3) In that sub-paragraph, for paragraphs (c) to (e) substitute—

“(c) when providing appliances to patients in accordance with a prescription form or repeatable prescription—

(i) provide appropriate advice in particular on the importance of only requesting those items which they actually need, and

(ii) for those purposes, have regard to the details contained in the records maintained under paragraph (f) in respect of the provision of appliances and prescribing pattern relating to the patient in question;

(d) provide a patient with a written note of any appliance which is owed, and inform the patient when it is expected that the appliance will become available;

(e) provide a patient with a written note of the supplier’s name, address and telephone number;

(f) keep and maintain records—

(i) of appliances provided, in order to facilitate the continued care of the patient,

(ii) in appropriate cases, of advice given and any interventions or referrals made (including clinically significant interventions in cases involving repeatable prescriptions), and

(iii) of notes provided under paragraph (d);

(g) undertake appropriate training in respect of repeat dispensing, having regard to any recommendations in respect of such training set out in the Drug Tariff;

(h) if the supplier takes possession of a non-electronic repeatable prescription or an associated batch issue, securely store that repeatable prescription or associated batch issue;

(i) if the supplier provides an appliance under an electronic prescription, provide the patient, if the patient so requests, with a written record of the appliances ordered on that prescription and, in the case of an electronic repeatable prescription, of the number of occasions on which it can be dispensed;

(j) maintain records of repeatable prescriptions in such a form as to provide a clear audit trail of supplies under the repeatable prescription (including dates and quantities supplied);

(k) destroy any surplus batch issues relating to appliances—

(i) which are not required, or

(ii) where a patient is refused an appliance pursuant to paragraph 7;

(l) ensure that where a person is refused appliances pursuant to paragraph 7(1)(b), (2) or (3), the patient is referred back to the prescriber for further advice;

(m) where a patient is provided with appliances under a repeatable prescription, notify the prescriber of any clinically significant issues arising in connection with the prescription and keep a record of that notification;

(n) notify the prescriber of any refusal to provide appliances pursuant to paragraph 7(3); and

(o) when providing specified appliances, comply with the additional requirements set out in paragraph 9A.”.

(4) After sub-paragraph (1) insert—

“(2) Where, on presentation of a prescription form or repeatable prescription in connection with the dispensing of appliances under paragraph 4, a supplier of appliances is unable to provide an appliance, or stoma appliance customisation is required and the supplier of appliances is unable to provide that, the supplier of appliances shall—

(a) if the patient consents, refer the prescription form or repeatable prescription to another supplier of appliances or to a pharmacist; or

(b) if the patient does not consent to a referral, provide the patient with contact details of at least two people who are pharmacists or suppliers of appliances who are able to provide the appliance or stoma appliance customisation (as the case may be), if these details are known to the supplier.”.