05/12/2023
For your information:
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
VETERINARY SURGEONS ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED BY THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS (RCVS – THE REGULATORY BODY FOR THE VETERINARY PROFESSION IN THE UK) TO PERFORM A CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF AN ANIMAL EVERY SIX MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO DISPENSE PRESCRIPTION ONLY MEDICATION (POM-V) WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PARASITE TREATMENT, WHEREBY THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A CLINICAL ASSESSMENT EVERY TWELVE MONTHS.
IN SOME CASES, THE VETERINARY SURGEON WILL NEED TO PERFORM A CLINICAL ASSESSMENT MORE FREQUENTLY.
ADDITIONALLY, PRESCRIPTIONS OF CONTROLLED DRUGS ARE HEAVILY REGULATED AND CAN ONLY BE DISPENSED FOR A MONTH AT A TIME.
WRITTEN PRESCRIPTIONS ARE DISPENSED AT THE VETERINARY SURGEON’S DISCRETION AND INCUR A CHARGE.
FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER 2023, the RCVS has issued new guidance on prescribing prescription-only medication.
The full guidance can be found on: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/under-care-new-guidance/
The new guidance requires that a physical examination of the pet must be performed every time any antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals and parasiticides are prescribed. This includes topical preparations such as ear and eye drops, and all prescription flea/worm/tick products.
The guidance is an important step towards ensuring responsible use and reducing the veterinary impact on the wider issues of global antibiotic resistance.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR PETS?
What this means in practice is that your pet will need to come in for an in-person consultation every time:
* We need to prescribe medication for an ear or eye infection (most contain antibiotics)
* We need to prescribe antibiotics for any skin problem, even if it’s a chronic problem.
* We/you decide to change from one flea/worm/tick product to another.
*We suspect a urinary tract infection (urine analysis/culture alone are no longer sufficient)
* We suspect a gastrointestinal infection (faecal analysis/culture alone are no longer sufficient)
* If you need prescription flea/worm/tick products and your pet has not been seen for 12 months
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