The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005

Refusal to provide drugs or appliances ordered

9.—(1) A pharmacist may refuse to provide the drugs or appliances ordered on a prescription form or repeatable prescription where—

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

(b) it appears to the pharmacist 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 the pharmacist’s clinical judgement;

(c) the pharmacist or other persons on the premises are subjected to or threatened with violence by the person presenting the prescription form or repeatable prescription or requesting the provision of drugs or appliances in accordance with an electronic prescription form or a repeatable prescription, or by any person accompanying that person; or

(d) the person presenting the prescription form or repeatable prescription or requesting the provision of drugs or appliances in accordance with an electronic prescription form or a repeatable prescription, or any other person accompanying that person, commits or threatens to commit a criminal offence.

(2) A pharmacist shall refuse to provide a drug ordered on a prescription form or repeatable prescription where the order is for a prescription only medicine which the prescriber was not entitled to prescribe.

(3) A pharmacist shall refuse to provide drugs or appliances ordered on a repeatable prescription where—

(a) he has no record of that prescription;

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

(c) it is not signed by a repeatable 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 six months previously;

(f) 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) where he has been informed by the repeatable prescriber that the prescription is no longer required.

(4) Where a patient requests the supply of drugs or appliances ordered on a repeatable prescription (other than on the first occasion that he makes such a request), a pharmacist shall only provide the drugs or appliances ordered if he 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.