Supply of drugs in optometric practice
A445
In the course of your professional practice, you may sell or supply:
- all medicinal products on a General Sale List (GSL)
- all pharmacy (P) medicines.
A446
In an emergency, in the course of your professional practice, you may sell or supply certain POM which are not for parenteral administration. You should check the Optometrists’ Formulary for further details.155
A447
The drugs that are covered by paragraphs A445 and A446 can only be supplied to patients by a registered optometrist or dispensing optician. There is no provision for you to delegate or supervise this supply.
A448
The POMs that are mentioned in paragraph A446 can be supplied to the patient by a pharmacist on presentation of a signed order from an optometrist without it needing to be an emergency. If you write a signed order for the supply of a drug by a pharmacist you must include your GOC number on the order. You should use standard abbreviations; examples are provided in Annex 2.
A449
You must be aware of the indications, cautions, contraindications and side effects of any drugs you supply.156
A450
You must ask patients about any drug-induced adverse incidents and known drug allergies before supplying them with drugs.157
A451
You must tell patients how to use the drug. You should tell them what to do in the case of an adverse incident.
References
155 The College of Optometrists Optometrists’ Formulary [Accessed 19 Nov 2020]156 General Optical Council (2016) Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians para 2.5 [Accessed 19 Nov 2020]
157 General Optical Council (2016) Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians, para 7.3 [Accessed 19 Nov 2020]