Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Local Pharmaceutical Services) Amendment Regulations 2012 and come into force on 1st July 2012.

Amendment of the National Health Service (Local Pharmaceutical Services etc. ) Regulations 2006

2. —(1)The National Health Service (Local Pharmaceutical Services etc.) Regulations 2006( 2 ) are amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph 6 of Schedule 2 (contract terms – providing ordered drugs or appliances)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (6)—

(i) omit “, subject to sub-paragraph (7),”, and

(ii) in paragraph (f), omit “calendar pack or”;

(b) omit sub-paragraph (7);

(c) omit paragraph (a) of sub-paragraph (8); and

(d) after sub-paragraph (8) insert the following sub-paragraph—

“ (8A) Where a drug is ordered by a prescriber on a prescription form or repeatable prescription in a quantity that is, or is a multiple of a quantity that is, readily available in a pack size manufactured for a holder of a marketing authorisation for the drug, the contractor must provide the drug in an original pack (or in original packs) of that size which has been assembled by a manufacturer of the drug for such a holder of a marketing authorisation, unless—

(a) it is not possible for the contractor to obtain such a pack (or packs) with reasonable promptness in the normal course of business; or

(b) it is not practicable for the contractor to provide such a pack (or packs) in response to the order (for example, because of patient needs or the method of administration of the drug). ” .