The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013

Changes over time for: Paragraph 6

Alternative versions:

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013, Paragraph 6.

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Refusal to provide drugs or appliances orderedU.K.

This section has no associated Explanatory Memorandum

6.—(1) A dispensing doctor (D) may refuse to provide the drugs or appliances ordered on a prescription form or repeatable prescription where—

(a)D reasonably believes that it is not a genuine order for the person named on the prescription form or the repeatable prescription (for example because D reasonably believes it has been stolen or forged);

(b)it appears to D that there is an error on the prescription form or on the repeatable prescription or, in the case of a non-electronic repeatable prescription, its associated batch issue (including a clinical error made by the prescriber) or that, in the circumstances, providing the drugs or appliances would be contrary to D's clinical judgement; or

(c)where the prescription form or repeatable prescription is incomplete because it does not include the information relating to the identification of the prescriber that [F1NHS England] (or a person exercising its functions) requires in order to perform its functions relating to—

(i)the remuneration of persons providing pharmaceutical services, and

(ii)any apportionment of, or any arrangements for recharging in respect of, that remuneration,

unless D (or the person who employs or engages D) is to receive no pharmaceutical remuneration of any kind in respect of the drug or appliance.

[F2(1A) D may refuse to provide a drug or appliance ordered on an electronic prescription if the access that D has to the Electronic Prescription Service is not such as to enable D to dispense that prescription promptly (or at all).]

(2) D must refuse to provide drugs or appliances ordered on a repeatable prescription where—

(a)D has no record of that prescription;

(b)D does not, in the case of a non-electronic repeatable prescription, have any associated batch issue and it is not presented to D;

(c)it is not signed by a prescriber;

(d)to do so would not be in accordance with any intervals specified in the prescription;

(e)it would be the first time a drug or appliance had been provided pursuant to the prescription and the prescription was signed (whether electronically or otherwise) more than 6 months previously;

(f)if the repeatable prescription was signed (whether electronically or otherwise) more than one year previously;

(g)the expiry date on the repeatable prescription has passed; or

(h)D has been informed by the prescriber that the prescription is no longer required.

(3) Where a patient requests the supply of drugs or appliances ordered on a repeatable prescription (other than on the first occasion that the patient makes such a request), D must only provide the drugs or appliances ordered if D is satisfied—

(a)that the patient to whom the prescription relates—

(i)is taking or using, and is likely to continue to take or use, the drug or appliance appropriately, and

(ii)is not suffering from any side effects of the treatment which indicates the need or desirability of reviewing the patient's treatment;

(b)that the medication regimen of the patient to whom the prescription relates has not altered in a way which indicates the need or desirability of reviewing the patient's treatment; and

(c)there have been no changes to the health of the patient to whom the prescription relates which indicate the need or desirability of reviewing the patient's treatment.

[F3(4) D must refuse to provide a drug or appliance ordered on a prescription form or a repeatable prescription where—

(a)a SSP has effect in respect of—

(i)the requested drug or appliance; or

(ii)drugs or appliances of a specified description, and the requested drug or appliance is of that description; and

(b)alternative provision has already taken place in accordance with the SSP.]

[F4(5) D may refuse to [F5fulfil an order or a request] for a drug that is or is purportedly in accordance with [F6a LPIV,] a PTP [F7or a PTPGD] where—

(a)D reasonably believes it is not a genuine order [F8or valid request] for the person who requests, or on whose behalf is requested, the provision of the drug;

(b)providing it would be contrary to D’s clinical judgement;

(c)D or other persons are subjected to or threatened with violence by the person who requests the provision of the drug, or by any person accompanying that person; or

(d)the person who requests the provision of the drug, or any person accompanying that person, commits or threatens to commit a criminal offence.

(6) D must refuse to provide, pursuant to [F9a LPIV,] a PTP [F10or a PTPGD], an order [F11or a request] for a drug that is or is purportedly in accordance with [F12the LPIV,] the PTP [F13or PTPGD] where D is not satisfied that it is in accordance with [F12the LPIV,] the PTP [F13or PTPGD].]

[F14(7) D may refuse to provide a prescription item ordered on a prescription form or repeatable prescription where—

(a)more than one prescription item has been ordered on the prescription form or repeatable prescription;

(b)at least one of those prescription items is a listed HRT prescription item and at least one of those prescription items is not; and

(c)the person named on the prescription form or repeatable prescription is claiming entitlement to exemption under regulation 10(1)(j) of the Charges Regulations (exemptions) in respect of any of those prescription items which is a listed HRT prescription item.]

Textual Amendments

F1Words in Regulations substituted (6.11.2023) by The Health and Care Act 2022 (Further Consequential Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1071), reg. 1(1), Sch. para. 1

F2Sch. 6 para. 6(1A) inserted (26.11.2018) by The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services, Charges and Prescribing) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1114), regs. 1(1), 9(5)

F3Sch. 6 para. 6(4) inserted (1.7.2019) by The National Health Service (Amendments Relating to Serious Shortage Protocols) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/990), regs. 1, 6(5)

F4Sch. 6 para. 6(5)(6) inserted (9.11.2020) by The National Health Service (Charges and Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1126), regs. 1(2), 22

F5Words in Sch. 6 para. 6(5) substituted (1.3.2021) by The National Health Service (Charges and Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/169), regs. 1(2), 4(3)(a)(i)

F6Words in Sch. 6 para. 6(5) inserted (21.12.2021) by The National Health Service (Charges, Primary Medical Services and Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Coronavirus) (Further Amendments) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1346), regs. 1(2)(a), 9(4)(a)

F7Words in Sch. 6 para. 6(5) inserted (1.3.2021) by The National Health Service (Charges and Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/169), regs. 1(2), 4(3)(a)(ii)

F8Words in Sch. 6 para. 6(5)(a) inserted (1.3.2021) by The National Health Service (Charges and Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/169), regs. 1(2), 4(3)(a)(iii)

F9Words in Sch. 6 para. 6(6) inserted (21.12.2021) by The National Health Service (Charges, Primary Medical Services and Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Coronavirus) (Further Amendments) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1346), regs. 1(2)(a), 9(4)(b)(i)

F10Words in Sch. 6 para. 6(6) inserted (1.3.2021) by The National Health Service (Charges and Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/169), regs. 1(2), 4(3)(b)(i)

F11Words in Sch. 6 para. 6(6) inserted (1.3.2021) by The National Health Service (Charges and Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/169), regs. 1(2), 4(3)(b)(ii)