Pharmacists
Welcome to the Pharmacy section of the Practitioner Services web site.
In this Section:
Are you a Pharmacy Health Professional?
Click here to get all the advice and support you need, for the services you provide.
Click here to get all the advice and support you need, for the services you provide.
Welcome to the Pharmacy section of the Practitioner Services web site.
We aim to make it quick and easy for you to find what you are looking for. Whether you need to find information on the Minor Ailments Service, prescription charges, exemption from prescription charges or Prescription Pre-Payment certificates (PPC) - we are here to help.
Regulations have been approved by the Scottish Parliament to abolish NHS prescription charges in Scotland. From the 1 April 2011 Scottish NHS prescription forms presented to Dispensing Contractors in Scotland will not attract a charge – this includes Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Emergency Hormonal Contraception under the Public Health Service.
Prescription forms from Wales, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man will be dispensed free of charge under current arrangements when presented for dispensing in Scotland.
From the 1 April 2011, prescription forms from England will be charged at the new English rate of £7.40. The exception being if the patient is exempt from paying charges as listed in Regulation 4 of the National Health Service (Free Prescriptions and Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 or the prescription form is accompanied by a valid entitlement card.
Non-exempt prescriptions presented and signed for before 1st April 2011 will attract a patient charge.
Non-exempt prescriptions presented and signed for after 31st March 2011 will be exempt from patient charges due to the new legislation.
Scottish PPCs are no longer sold in Scotland but patients holding a current PPC will be valid for prescriptions dispensed elsewhere in the UK during its period of validity.
The Minor Ailment Service will allow patients who are registered for the service to go straight to their community pharmacist for advice on common conditions that they can self treat. Where appropriate the pharmacist can supply the medicine directly, thus eliminating the need for a GP appointment.
Anything else we can help you with? Please contact our Customer Service Helpdesk and let us know your thoughts.