1. Prescribing in Practice Part 2e Licensing, Legal Categories and Group Activity

2. Licensing of drugs Previously known as Product licence now- Marketing Authorisations Before a new product can be marketed the company has to produce evidence of safety and efficacy’. The licence also restricts availability by defining the legal category of the drug. All proprietary medicines will therefore bear a Marketing Authorisation number and a legal status code.

3. Legal categories of Medicines Prescription Only Medicines – POMs No person may administer a POM to another person (except to himself) unless he is acting in accordance with the directions of an appropriate practitioner. This is with the exception of medical emergencies for the purpose of saving life in an emergency and applies to certain medicines e.g. epinepherine Doctors can administer POMs without a prescription though it is good practice to keep adequate records. NMPs should avoid administration of a POM without a prescription or PGD.

4. Legal categories of Medicines (Cont.) General Sale List Medicines. (GSL) Can be sold in supermarkets, garages etc.

5. Legal categories of Medicines cont… Pharmacy Medicines (P medicines) Can be bought in a pharmacy providing that the pharmacist is there to supervise the sale. Pharmacists have a legal obligation to refuse the sale if they feel that the sale would compromise safety or contribute to abuse. P medicine legislation is likely to change in 2012 so watch out for this

6. Hospitals and the Medicines Act All medicines provided to in patients are “de facto POM’s” this is because hospital pharmacies cannot sell medicines and supply is regulated through hospital policies.

7. Label 30 Do not take with any other paracetamol products To be used on all containers of dispensed preparations containing paracetamol BNF 60(2010)

8. Cautionary Labels Can be used to give more detail that you feel strongly should be on the packaging of the product A prescriber may feel on a specific occasion that a cautionary label should not be used- can you think of one that may be put on by the pharmacist? If you do not want the label to be used you must endorse your prescription with-’NCL’ but then the exact wording you want to replace this has to be specified Source BNF60 2010

9. Group Activity In interprofessional groups you will complete an activity reviewing 3 written prescriptions You will then develop a poster which promotes principles for safe prescription writing practice

10. Further reading Dean B. Barber N. Schachter M (2000) What is a prescribing error? Quality Health Care 9 pp232-237 Reddy B. (2006) Prescription writing standards: why they are important Nurse Prescribing vol.4 No.8 pp330-335 Maintaining competency in prescribing: An outline framework to help allied health professional supplementary prescribers National Prescribing Centre (2004) Maintaining competency in prescribing: An outline framework to help allied health professional supplementary prescribers. Available on line @ http://www.npc.co.uk/maintain_comp_in_prescribing.htm Prescribing Self Tests online: http://learning.north.londonmet.ac.uk/prescribing/prescribing_exe rcises.htm http://learning.north.londonmet.ac.uk/prescribing/prescribing_exe rcises.htm

11. References British National Formulary www.bnf.org.ukwww.bnf.org.uk Chadwick P, Stuart L, Fox M, Walley A, Morris L, Ashton-Mort,S and McLennon, J ( 20070 An audit to improve the care of the diabetic foot Wounds UK vol. 3, no.2 pp73-77

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