Page 26 - P4403.59-V46_Numark Magazine December 23 PRINT FINAL

YOUR QUERIES

ASK Our Information

Services agony
aunt Sue Swift
SUE shares your

recent queries
around The
Drug Tariff.

Remember - Information Services are here to offer a helping hand whenever you need them.
Let us do the work so you can concentrate on helping your team and your patients.

Q: A methadone patient has an instalment due on the bank
holiday when the pharmacy is closed; can I supply it in advance?

A: Yes you can, provided the prescriber has included specific
wording on the prescription that authorises a supply when the
pharmacy is closed.
In this situation the recognised Home Office wording is:

“Dispense instalments due on pharmacy closed days on a prior suitable day.”
(New wording as of November 2015)
If the relevant approved wording is used, a pharmacist can supply treatment prior
to the start date on the prescription, if this is on a day the pharmacy is closed, for
example during bank holiday periods (e.g. if the start date is a bank holiday Monday
and the pharmacy is closed, a supply can be made if the signature date is before the
start date).
If the prescriber uses their own variation on this wording it will not provide you with
the same protection from enforcement when making a supply, and if practical, the
prescription should be amended by the prescriber to the Home Office wording.

The instalment direction on a prescription is legally binding and must be complied
with. If the prescriber has not included any wording to authorise a supply when the
pharmacy is closed then no supply can be made in advance of closure.

The original prescription must be amended or an alternative prescription obtained
for the bank holiday supply.

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