BMJ  2005;331:1154-1155 (19 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7526.1154

Editorial

Extended prescribing by UK nurses and pharmacists

With more evidence and strict safeguards, it could benefit patients

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Earlier this year the United Kingdom Department of Health consulted on options for extending prescribing by nurses and pharmacists.^{1 2} Last week the department announced that nurse and pharmacist independent prescribers will be able to prescribe any licensed drug except controlled drugs—the most radical of the options considered.³ This proposal heralds one of the most far reaching extensions of prescribing by nurses and pharmacists anywhere in the world.

The BMA has responded with dismay.⁴ One of the association's concerns is that it is not safe to prescribe without training in diagnosis. We accept that this is true in most cases but note that training is becoming available for many nurses and pharmacists in the UK. As a result, both professions are able to diagnose and manage acute illnesses in primary care, and some are already prescribing independently, albeit from a limited formulary. In secondary care specialist nurses diagnose and manage . . . [Full text of this article]

(tony.avery@nottingham.ac.uk)
Division of Primary Care, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH

Division of Primary Care, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH

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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

absolute idiocy

Andrew G Montgomery
bmj.com, 18 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Safety of Nurse Prescribing

Stephen C Earwicker
bmj.com, 18 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Re: absolute idiocy

Lisa C Blakemore-Brown
bmj.com, 19 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Interesting Reference

Joseph F Standing
bmj.com, 19 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Is it really necessary??

Alistair R Ramsden
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Triumph of common sense

Sam Richmond
bmj.com, 20 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Re: Re: absolute idiocy

Ellen C G Grant
bmj.com, 21 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Experience of nurse prescribing

Victor B Maxwell, et al.
bmj.com, 21 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Another waste of time

andrew rosser
bmj.com, 21 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Eroding standards

Martin P Mayfield
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Whoever prescribes should be accountable

Ramakant sharma
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Re: absolute idiocy

Gail Chan
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Damascene conversion?

Orest Mulka
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Sorry, I Just Don't Understand

Graeme M Mackenzie
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The final death throes of general practice?

Keith R Sumner
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Re: Re: absolute idiocy

Andrew Montgomery
bmj.com, 22 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Clearly written scripts help.

Phillip J. Colquitt
bmj.com, 23 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Its the outcome that matters

Garry R King
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Mental Health Nurse Prescribing: New Ways

Martin Jones, et al.
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A useful step in the right direction

N Portman
bmj.com, 24 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Response from a non medical prescriber

Deborah Bond
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A Sensible Thought

NISHANT RANJAN
bmj.com, 24 Nov 2005 [Full text]

Re: A useful step in the right direction

andrew montgomery
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