The Minister for Health, Simon Harris recently approved amended regulations to facilitate how prescription-only medicines, including controlled drugs, could be supplied to patients by pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic*. This was done to ensure continuity of care and access to treatment for patients and to reduce some of the burden on prescribers and the broader healthcare system.

“NMBI as the professional regulator of nurses and midwives has a responsibility to patients and service users to assure safe and effective medication management practice by nurses and midwives and so we support nurses and midwives in prescribing and administering medicines that provide for continued care in the emergency, “ said Anne Marie Ryan, Director of Professional Standards and Education.

“Nurses and midwives should be guided in their practice of medication management by our 2007 guidance on medication management. These new amendments, along with Section 2 of the guidance provide the basis for practice decisions and so it is important that nurses and midwives familiarise themselves with the changes.”

The changes to the regulations will impact all those involved in the medication management cycle, including the nurse or midwife as a prescriber or administrator of medicines.

The electronic transfer of prescriptions

The amendments allow for the electronic transfer** of prescriptions between prescribers and pharmacies, removing the need for a patient to attend a surgery to collect a paper prescription during the emergency.

Validity period of prescriptions

The maximum period of validity of a prescription for non-controlled drugs is temporarily increased from six to nine months as of the date specified on the prescription.

Repeat prescriptions

Temporary changes to the way in which prescriptions can be repeated by pharmacists have been introduced. Patients with a prescription script for six months will now see its period of validity automatically extended to nine months. Pharmacists have been given discretion to carry on a repeat prescription for a patient even if that patient has not got a new script. The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and the Medical Council have issued joint guidance for Pharmacists and Prescribers in relation to these amendments.

Controlled drugs

With regard to schedule 2 or 3 controlled drug prescriptions, the prescription writing requirements still apply, however these do not need to be in the prescriber’s own handwriting.

Medicine supplies

There is no need for hospitals or healthcare professionals to order extra quantities of medicines, or for prescribers to issue additional prescriptions.

Further details can be accessed on the Department of Health website.

For professional guidance please contact professionalguidance@nmbi.ie

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Notes:

*The changes amend the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003 (as amended) and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 (as amended).

**The Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply Amendment) Regulations 2020 allows for the electronic transfer of prescriptions to a pharmacy via the HSE’s Healthmail system.