The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001

Form of prescriptions U.K.

15.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this regulation, a person shall not issue a prescription containing a controlled drug other than a drug specified in Schedule 4 or 5 or temazepam unless the prescription complies with the following requirements, that is to say, it shall—

[F1 (a) be written so as to be indelible, be dated and be signed by the person issuing it with his usual signature;]

[F2 (aa) except in the case of a health prescription, be written on a prescription form provided by a Primary Care Trust or equivalent body for the purposes of private prescribing;]

F3 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c) except in the case of a health prescription, specify the [F4 prescriber identification number and the] address of the person issuing it;

(d) if issued by a dentist, have the words “for dental treatment only” written on it and, if issued by a veterinary surgeon or a veterinary practitioner, have a declaration written on it that the controlled drug is prescribed for an animal or herd under his care;

(e) specify the name and address of the person for whose treatment it is issued or, if it is issued by a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner, of the person to whom the controlled drug prescribed is to be delivered;

(f) specify the dose to be taken and—

(i) in the case of a prescription containing a controlled drug which is a preparation, the form and, where appropriate, the strength of the preparation, and either the total quantity (in both words and figures) of the preparation or the number (in both words and figures) of dosage units, as appropriate, to be supplied;

(ii) in any other case, the total quantity (in both words and figures ) of the controlled drug to be supplied;

(g) in the case of a prescription for a total quantity intended to be supplied by instalments, contain a direction specifying the amount of the instalments of the total amount which may be supplied and the intervals to be observed when supplying.

[F5 (1A) A person shall not issue a prescription other than a health prescription containing temazepam unless it is written on a prescription form provided by a Primary Care Trust or equivalent body for the purposes of private prescribing and it specifies the prescriber identification number and the address of the person issuing it.

(1B) Nothing in this regulation prevents the issue of a prescription, other than a health prescription, which is not written on a prescription form provided by a Primary Care Trust or equivalent body for the purposes of private prescribing, containing a controlled drug other than a drug specified in Schedule 4 or 5, where the person issuing the prescription believes on reasonable grounds that the drug will be supplied by a pharmacist in a hospital.]

F6 (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) In the case of a prescription issued for the treatment of a patient in a hospital or nursing home, it shall be a sufficient compliance with paragraph (1)(e) if the prescription is written on the patient’s bed card or case sheet.

Textual Amendments

F1 Reg. 15(1)(a) substituted (14.11.2005) by The Misuse of Drugs and the Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2864), regs. 1(1), 9(1)

F2 Reg. 15(1)(aa) inserted (7.7.2006 for E.S., 1.1.2007 in so far as not already in force) by The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1450), regs. 2(1)(3), 5(1)(a) (with regs. 12, 13)

F3 Reg. 15(1)(b) revoked (14.11.2005) by The Misuse of Drugs and the Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2864), regs. 1(1), 9(2)

F4 Words in reg. 15(1)(c) inserted (7.7.2006 for E.S.) by The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1450), regs. 2(1)(3), 5(1)(b) (with regs. 12, 13)

F5 Reg. 15(1A)(1B) inserted (7.7.2006 for E.S., 1.1.2007 in so far as not already in force) by The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1450), regs. 2(1)(3), 5(2) (with regs. 12, 13)

F6 Reg. 15(2) revoked (14.11.2005) by The Misuse of Drugs and the Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2864), regs. 1(1), 9(2)