Page 26 - P4403.59-V60_Numark Pharmacy Magazine Feb 25
P. 26

Private





              Prescription





              success:








              Compliance, efficiency,

              and customer satisfaction







               Pharmacies play a crucial role               As for NHS prescriptions, private
               in ensuring patients receive the             prescriptions must include the
               medications they need promptly               prescriber’s signature, the practitioner’s
               and accurately. One way to                   address, the appropriate date,
               obtain medicines are with private            particulars of the practitioner, and
               prescriptions. By understanding this         the patient’s name, address, and age
               process pharmacies can reduce any            if they are under 12. Professional due
               errors, improve patient satisfaction,        diligence requires pharmacists to
               and ensure compliance with legal             confirm the prescriber’s credentials
               requirements. Here’s how effectively         and registration and the authenticity
               managing private prescriptions can           of each prescription. By checking
               bring value to your pharmacy.                these details, pharmacies can

               1. Ensuring Prescription Validity            maintain compliance with regulatory
                                                            standards. Private prescriptions must
               The first step in handling private           be dispensed within 6 months of the
               prescriptions is to verify their validity.   appropriate date or 28 days for a
               This involves ensuring that the              schedule 4 CD.
               prescription is either handwritten           2. Streamlining the Dispensing
               in ink or computer-generated. A              Procedure
               prescription for non-schedule 2 or
               3 CDs can be sent in an electronic           Once a prescription is validated, the
               form but must contain an advanced            next step is the dispensing process.
               electronic signature. The advanced           Pharmacies should adhere to their
               electronic signature is uniquely linked      standard dispensing procedures,
               to the prescriber and allows capability      ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
               of identifying the prescriber and once       Even though repeat prescriptions can
               the prescription is accessed and             be returned to the patient, a simple
               confirmed will ‘lock’ the prescription to    discussion with the patient usually
               the pharmacy so no other pharmacy            means the pharmacy can keep the
               contractor can access the same               prescriptions until they are complete.
               prescription. Prescriptions requesting       By maintaining a streamlined
               Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs            dispensing process, pharmacies can
               (CDs) must be on the designated              improve workflow efficiency and
               standardised forms.                          reduce wait times, thereby enhancing
               •  England – FP10PCD                         the overall patient experience.

               •  Wales – WP10PCD
               •  Scotland – PPCD(1)
               •  Northern Ireland – PCD1




                                                                                                                 10/01/2025   16:04:05
         P4403.59-V60_Numark Pharmacy Magazine Feb 25.indd   26                                                  10/01/2025   16:04:05
         P4403.59-V60_Numark Pharmacy Magazine Feb 25.indd   26
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