Important Londonwide CEO message number 19 - 24 August 2009
Following the new regulations coming into force from Friday 21 August, the information included in CEO briefing number 19 on 20 August 2009 has now been replaced by the following factual guidance.
Our latest guidance tells you what you must and must not do in order to comply with the legal regulations.
The Department of Health, RCGP and the GPC have issued a joint letter (DH Gateway reference 12418) giving new guidance on the authorisation of antivirals:
- For children aged 12 years and below, authorisation for an antiviral collection point (ACP) to issue an antiviral agent must be given using specially printed vouchers; contact your PCT’s flu lead if you have not already been issued with these
- For patients aged 13 and older
- you may also use a voucher, and if you are not in your premises (eg, on a home visit) you must use a voucher
- or you may generate an authorisation using the standard computer prescription form, as if you were generating a private prescription and endorsing it ACP
In summary:
- Use a printed voucher for any patient, or
- Use a computer generated private prescription, endorsed ACP, only for patients aged 13 and over.
- Do not use FP10s, unendorsed private prescriptions or any handwritten document other than a voucher.
- Do not endorse any prescription or other authorisation SLS or Convenient Stationery.
- DH/RCGP/GPC letter (pdf)
- New Regulations (pdf)