The National Health Service (Personal Medical Services Agreements) Regulations 2015

Repeatable prescribing services E+W

52.—(1) The contractor may only provide repeatable prescribing services to a person on its lists 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 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 of its patients to whom a person specified in paragraph (8) is authorised or required by the Board to provide pharmaceutical services in accordance with arrangements under section 126 M1 (arrangements for pharmaceutical services) and section 132 M2 (persons authorised to provide pharmaceutical services) of the Act.

(8) The persons specified in this paragraph are—

(a) a medical practitioner who is a party to the agreement;

(b) in the case of an agreement with a qualifying body, any medical practitioner who is both a legal and beneficial shareholder in that body; or

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

Marginal Citations

M1 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) (“the 2012 Act”).

M2 Section 132 was amended by paragraph 69 of Schedule 4 to the 2012 Act, 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.