The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Wales) Regulations 2013

Basic procedure in respect of unwanted drugs

13.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), where a person presents to an NHS pharmacist or any of the NHS pharmacist’s staff any drugs provided for a patient in, and which have been kept in—

(a) a private household; or

(b) a residential care home,

the NHS pharmacist must accept the drugs and dispose of them in accordance with sub-paragraph (3).

(2) An NHS pharmacist must not be required to accept any drugs for disposal unless the Local Health Board in whose pharmaceutical list the NHS pharmacist is included has made arrangements with the NHS pharmacist for the collection and disposal of drugs of that description.

(3) On receipt of the drugs, the NHS pharmacist must—

(a) where required to do so by the Local Health Board or by a waste disposal contractor retained by the Local Health Board, separate solid drugs or ampoules, liquids and aerosols from each other;

(b) store the drugs in containers provided by the Local Health Board, or by a waste disposal contractor retained by the Local Health Board for the purpose of storing drugs of that description; and

(c) comply with any other statutory requirements in respect of storing or the disposal of drugs of that description (meeting those requirements are therefore an essential service for the purposes of these Regulations),

and must co-operate with any suitable arrangements that the Local Health Board has in place for regular collection of the drugs from the NHS pharmacist’s premises by or on behalf of the Local Health Board.