Supply and administration of medicines by staff group (P to Z)

Published 2 April 2024Last updated 12 July 2024See all updates

Topics: AdministeringService advice and planningSupply

Different staff groups have different permissions with respect to medicines supply and administration and it is important to ensure legislation is followed.

How to use this page

Staff groups are listed in alphabetical order and include information on what they can and cannot legally do, with respect to medicines supply and administration.

Essential reading

This page should be read in conjunction with Legal mechanisms to supply and administer medicines to individuals and Medicine administration by registered and non-registered staff.

Mechanisms by professional group

Paramedic

Show Hide

What they can do

Paramedics registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription only if annotated as an independent prescriber or as a supplementary prescriber working under a clinical management plan
work under a Patient Group Direction (PGD)
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (all stages)
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under relevant Schedule 17 exemptions
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

What they cannot do

This group cannot:

act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A

Pharmacist

Show Hide

What they can do

Pharmacists registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription only if annotated as an independent prescriber or as a supplementary prescriber working under a clinical management plan
work under a Patient Group Direction (PGD)
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (all stages)
act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under relevant Schedule 17 exemptions (occupational health vaccinator)
sell supply P and GSL medicines from registered pharmacy premises
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

For the group formerly known as pre-registration pharmacist see Foundation trainee pharmacist

Pharmacy technician

Show Hide

What they can do

Pharmacy technicians registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
work under a Patient Group Direction (PGD) (no controlled drugs from any schedule)
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (all stages)
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

What they cannot do

This group cannot:

write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription
act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A
work under any Schedule 17 exemptions

Physician Associate

Show Hide

What they can do

Physician associates are currently not registered by the General Medical Council (GMC).

This group can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (stages 2-4)
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

What they cannot do

This group cannot:

write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription
work under a Patient Group Direction (PGD)
act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A
work under any Schedule 17 exemptions

Physiotherapist

Show Hide

What they can do

Physiotherapists registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription only if annotated as an independent prescriber or as a supplementary prescriber working under a clinical management plan
work under the Patient Group Direction (PGD)
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (all stages)
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under relevant Schedule 17 exemptions (occupational health vaccinator)
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

What they cannot do

This group cannot:

act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A

Practitioner psychologist

Show Hide

What they can do

Practitioner psychologists registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (stages 2-4)
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

What they cannot do

What practitioner psychologists cannot do:

write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription
work under a Patient Group Direction (PGD)
act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A
work under any Schedule 17 exemptions

Provisionally registered doctor (Foundation year 1)

Show Hide

What they can do

Doctors provisionally registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription written by another prescriber
write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription under supervision
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (all stages)

What they cannot do

This group cannot:

work under a Patient Group Direction (PGD)
act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A

Radiographer (Diagnostic)

Show Hide

What they can do

Diagnostic radiographers registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription if annotated as a supplementary prescriber working under a clinical management plan
work under the Patient Group Direction (PGD)
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (all stages)
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

What they cannot do

This group cannot:

act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A
work under any Schedule 17 exemptions

Radiographer (Therapeutic)

Show Hide

What they can do

Therapeutic radiographers registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription only if annotated as an independent prescriber or as a supplementary prescriber working under a clinical management plan
work under the Patient Group Direction (PGD)
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (all stages)
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

What they cannot do

This group cannot:

act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A
work under any Schedule 17 exemptions

Speech and language therapist

Show Hide

What they can do

Speech and language therapists registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can:

work under a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) written by a prescriber
work under a Patient Group Direction (PGD) (no controlled drugs from any schedule)
work under the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines and national protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (all stages)
work under Schedule 19 exemptions
work under a protocol to administer P or GSL medicine
work under a protocol to supply a GSL medicine

What they cannot do

This group cannot:

act as clinical supervisor for the national protocols for coronavirus vaccines under Regulation 3A
write a Patient Specific Direction (PSD) or prescription
work under any Schedule 17 exemptions

Update history

12 July 2024

Change to pharmacy technician entry following publication of 2024/25 influenza national protocol

25 June 2024

Amended due to legislation change to HMR 2012

22 April 2024

Article series format review

2 April 2024

Published

Show all history Show less history

SPS - Specialist Pharmacy Service

NHS

Supply and administration of medicines by staff group (P to Z)

This article forms part of a series

Contents

How to use this page

Essential reading

Mechanisms by professional group

Paramedic

What they can do

What they cannot do

Pharmacist

What they can do

Pharmacy technician

What they can do

What they cannot do

Physician Associate

What they can do

What they cannot do

Physiotherapist

What they can do

What they cannot do

Practitioner psychologist

What they can do

What they cannot do

Provisionally registered doctor (Foundation year 1)

What they can do

What they cannot do

Radiographer (Diagnostic)

What they can do

What they cannot do

Radiographer (Therapeutic)

What they can do

What they cannot do

Speech and language therapist

What they can do

What they cannot do

Update history

Print this page