B2 Prescription requirements and labelling

Question 1

what are the requirements for a legally valid prescription?

Answer 1

• written in indelible ink
• signature of prescriber
• address of prescriber
• date
• particulars
• name and address of patient
• age of patient IF UNDER 12

Question 2

how long are POMs valid for after the ‘appropriate date’? and what does the ‘appropriate date’ mean?

Answer 2

• valid for 6 months after
• the appropriate date refers to the date the prescription is signed or another date that the prescriber has detailed in the instructions for prescribing eg. not to be dispensed until this particular date

Question 3

are faxed and digital prescriptions valid? what are the risks of them?

Answer 3

• they’re not legally valid
• a digital prescription is an email of a prescription

risks
- how many copies are there?
- is it a genuine prescription?
- may be difficult to read due to poor printing quality

Question 4

do you supply medicines from faxed and digital prescription?

Answer 4

NEVER for controlled drugs

Question 5

what is the EPS?

Answer 5

• electronic prescriptions service
• most prescriptions from NHS primary care are now sent this way since the pandemic

Question 6

what are patient specific directions?

Answer 6

• exemption to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012
• a written instruction from a prescriber (eg. doctor, dentist etc.) for a medicine to be supplied or administered to a named patient after the prescriber has assessed them on an individual basis

Question 7

are verbal communications accepted as patient specific directions?

Answer 7

• legally permitted
• usually only used in emergency situations

Question 8

who is qualified to complete prescription clinical checks?

Answer 8

• only the pharmacist

Question 9

what details of the patient should be checked during a clinical check of a prescription?

Answer 9

• age, weight, gender, ethnicity, test results
• will these affect the efficacy of the medicine?
• will these affect the dose of the medicine?
• will these affect the safety of the medicine? eg. older people may be at higher risk of side effects

Question 10

what details of the medicine should be checked during a clinical check of a prescription?

Answer 10

• drug, strength, dose, formulation
• will the condition/indication be treated?
• will this formulation/route of administration be suitable for this patient?
• will it be safe for this patient? (more likely to be beneficial than harmful)

Question 11

what details other than the patient and the medicine should be checked during a clinical check of a prescription?

Answer 11

• should look at anything else the patient is taking
• will there be an interaction with any other prescription medicines?
• will there be an interaction with any OTC sales?
• will there be an interaction with food and drink?

Question 12

what details must be included on the label of dispensed medicines?

Answer 12

• name of patient
• name and address of supplying pharmacy
• date of dispensing
• name of medicine (name, quantity, form, strength)
• directions for use (expanded, no Latin abbreviations)
• precautions relating to use eg. shake before use
• KOOSAROC

Question 13

if you are supplying a licensed medicine, what is not need on the label and why?

Answer 13

• batch number and expiry date
• they will already be on the packaging

Question 14

what specific information should be on a label for Simvastatin regarding food and drink interactions?

Answer 14

• avoid grapefruit juice
• the enzymes in the liver break down the juice instead of the drug then the drug level eventually becomes toxic

Question 15

describe the events before the accuracy check of prescriptions and who may undertake the accuracy check?

Answer 15

• legal and clinical check completed first by pharmacist
• medicine dispensed and labelled
• accuracy check may be completed by a suitably trained member of the pharmacy team