PCT Information
(last updated 31/01/2008)

Community Nurses Employed By Primary Care Trusts

The following information outlines the sequence of procedures to be followed when a community Nurse Prescriber becomes employed by a PCT.

Action by the Community NHS Trust

The Nurse Prescribing Lead should advise the PPD of the status of the Community NHS Trust and their contract(s) for provision of nurse services e.g. whether:

• the responsibility has been passed to a PCT therefore the contract for nurse services will expire; or
  
  
• the Trust is still in existence therefore the Trust contract(s) will continue; also
  
  
• details of any new Community Nurse Prescribing Contract(s) that require setting up; and
  
  
• details of any community nurse prescriber(s) who will no longer be employed by the Community NHS Trust.

This can be done using the Annex A1 proforma or by letter.

The Community NHS Trust should collect in all relevant unused FP10CN prescription pads, record the first and last serial numbers of each pad*, and ensure the prescription pads are destroyed in a secure manner. *These records should be kept in order to respond to any PPD queries which may arise; they may be destroyed after 5 years.

Action by PCT (new employer)

The PCT Nurse Prescribing Lead should advise the PPD:

• of any community nurse prescriber(s) that will be directly employed by the PCT;
  
  
• of any Community Nurse Prescribing Contract(s) for the provision of nurse services to other NHS organisations (Health Authorities or other Commissioning PCTs).

This can be done using the Annex A1 proforma or by letter.

If the changes are effective from 1 April 2001 this information can be provided using the PPD PCT questionnaire (paragraph 7) which is available on the PPD web site www.ppd.nhs.uk.

Action by PPD

The PPD will:

• add the PCT, nurse and any Community Nurse Prescribing Contract details onto PPD Prescribing Information Database;
  
  
• inform the PCT of the allocated Community Nurse Prescribing Contract code;
  
  
• transfer prescribing details to SMSPSL (the prescription forms printing company) so that personalised prescription can be produced.

Depending on volume of changes and completeness of data, this process normally takes three working days from receipt of information.

Note: prescribing costs are allocated by the PPD to prescribers' budgets using the allocated Community Nurse Prescribing Contract code. It is therefore important that prescriber details are accurate. If the PCT and nurse prescriber information is not provided to the PPD in a timely manner, prescription costs may be attributed to the incorrect organisation and prescriptions will not be able to be ordered by the PCT.

Every effort should be made to ensure that community nurse prescribers have new prescription pads on the first day of their employment with the PCT.

Due to the large volume of nurse prescribers moving between organisations with effect from 1 April 2001 it is advisable, for a limited period only, to contact the PPD on 0191 203 5110 to ensure that the relevant details have been amended, prior to ordering prescription forms from SMSPSL.

Action by SMSPSL (prescription manufacturer)

PCT's have to register their ordering and distribution via the registration website for 3MSPSL.

SMSPSL print and distribute prescription pads. This process normally takes 6 working days from processing of order, providing nurse prescriber details are held on PPD and SMSPSL databases.

Obtaining prescriptions (guidance for new PCTs)

The PCT should request prescription forms from SMSPSL using the SMSPSL web ordering site; prescription forms will be personalised with the:

• individual nurse UKCC PIN number and PCT code (see 1 below), for use in prescribing for patients registered to practices within the PCT; or
  
  
• individual nurse UKCC PIN number and Community Nurse Prescribing Contract code, for use when the PCT is providing community nurse services to another organisation.

Additional Information

The Organisation Codes Service is in the process of issuing new format 3 character PCT codes - 5xx (5 series).

Until further notice for prescription purposes, the PPD will continue to use and allocate old style codes - 4xxxx (4 series). These are the codes you should use when ordering prescriptions.

PCTs established in 2000 should continue to request FP10CN prescription forms for use in prescribing for patients registered to practices within the PCT using current 4 series PCT code.

PCTs established in 2001 will be contacted by the PPD who will inform you of the code you should use when requesting FP10CN prescription forms, for use in prescribing for patients registered to practices within the PCT.

PRESCRIPTIONS - security and keeping forms up to date

Prescription forms normally change at least once year. New forms are delivered to you by SMSPSL in response to your orders. From time to time, you may receive an older prescription version after a new version has been announced. This is quite normal and these forms can be used until the new forms are delivered.

However, prescription forms need to be kept up-to-date. It is much more difficult for patients to make a correct claim to exemption from prescription charges when out-of-date prescription forms are used.

All secure prescriptions have a form identifier which includes the type of form eg. FP10CN and a date code eg.1000. The form identifier is printed vertically in the Pricing Office box eg. FP10CN1000. The serial number position is at the bottom of the form. The first 10 numbers are the serial number (these numbers run in sequence) the last (the 11th) character is a check digit and does not run in sequence.

Where usage of forms is low, small but regular orders will ensure stock is kept up to date and wastage minimised. The importance of correct stock rotation (using older versions before introducing new) should not be overlooked. DH recommends that no more than three months stock of prescriptions should be held by each prescriber (or by the Trust on their behalf). A number of Trusts have concluded that they can hold minimum stocks of prescriptions as orders will normally be delivered by SMSPSL within 6 working days.