Website of the Department of Health
Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.
Page menu
You are here:
Nurse independent prescribing.
From 1 May 2006, the Nurse Prescribers' Extended Formulary was discontinued and qualified Nurse Independent Prescribers (formerly known as Extended Formulary Nurse Prescribers) are now able to prescribe any licensed medicine for any medical condition within their competence, including some Controlled Drugs. Any additional training needs should be addressed through continued professional development
Scope of guidance - position in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The guidance available on this website applies to England only. Although the legislation that permits the extension of prescribing responsibilities applies across the UK, it is for the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to decide whether and how it is implemented for the NHS in their countries. For further information please refer to the following websites:
Key publications and guidance documents
Improving patients' access to medicines: A guide to implementing nurse and pharmacist independent prescribing within the NHS in England
This guide has been produced to help promote safe and effective prescribing by Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers and to assist implementation in the NHS. It is applicable to both the NHS and the independent sector. It provides information and advice on good practice for Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers. Informal feedback will be provided from NHS users of the guide.
Evaluation of extended formulary independent nurse prescribing
Published: 27 June 2005. Independent nurse prescribing is viewed positively by patients, doctors and nurses themselves, with patients citing accessibility as a major advantage when obtaining their medicine from a nurse rather than a doctor. The research carried out by the University of Southampton, evaluated the first two years of extended formulary nurse prescribing and used a national survey, observation of prescribing nurses and the views of stakeholders in its assessment.
Medicines Matters (2006)
This document describes the mechanisms available for the prescribing, supply and administration of medicines to support the development of new roles or service redesign.
Improving mental health services by extending the role of nurses in prescribing and supplying medication: Good practice guide
Produced jointly in March 2005 by the National Prescribing Centre, the National Institute for Mental Health in England and the Department of Health. Mental health nurses already play a central role in the provision of medication and have considerable knowledge and experience in this area. Recent policy developments have allowed suitably trained mental health nurses to prescribe and supply medication in new ways in order to improve services for people with mental health problems. This good practice guide provides information about these opportunities, what potential benefits can come from their introduction and how organisations might go about doing so. Gateway reference 4797.
Extending independent nurse prescribing within the NHS in England: a guide for implementation
It will be for primary care trusts and NHS trusts to decide, in light of local priorities and in consultation with nurse prescribing leads in their local Workforce Development Confederation and local health professionals, which nurses in their area should undertake the preparation for prescribing from the Extended Formulary. This guide has been prepared to assist them.
Mechanisms for nurse and pharmacist prescribing and supply of medicines
This guide has been produced to help promote safe and effective prescribing by Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers and to assist implementation in the NHS. It is applicable to both the NHS and the independent sector. It provides information and advice on good practice for Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers. Informal feedback will be provided from NHS users of the guide.
List of medicines available to extended formulary nurse prescribers
This guide has been produced to help promote safe and effective prescribing by Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers and to assist implementation in the NHS. It is applicable to both the NHS and the independent sector. It provides information and advice on good practice for Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers. Informal feedback will be provided from NHS users of the guide.
Nurse Prescribers' Extended Formulary: Additional Controlled Drugs
This guide has been produced to help promote safe and effective prescribing by Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers and to assist implementation in the NHS. It is applicable to both the NHS and the independent sector. It provides information and advice on good practice for Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers. Informal feedback will be provided from NHS users of the guide.
Gifts and benefits from suppliers of medicines
This guide has been produced to help promote safe and effective prescribing by Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers and to assist implementation in the NHS. It is applicable to both the NHS and the independent sector. It provides information and advice on good practice for Nurse and Pharmacist Independent Prescribers. Informal feedback will be provided from NHS users of the guide.
Nurse prescription forms
Guide to prescription forms to be used by nurse prescribers in different healthcare settings.
Nurse prescribing training and preparation: extended formulary nurse prescribing and supplementary prescribing
Guidance (updated 4 June 2004) on selection and training of nurse prescribers: the Nursing and Midwifery Council has now determined a new standard in respect of Independent Prescribing (for the Extended Formulary) and Supplementary Prescribing, and will only validate new recordable courses against that standard.
Supervised learning in practice
For nurses and midwives who wish to train as extended formulary prescribers or supplementary prescribers.
Nurse prescribing FAQ
Frequently asked questions about nurse prescribers, which medicines they can supply for which conditions, and what training is involved.
Press and media
Announcements on independent nurse prescribing.
- 28 April 2006: A prescription for patient satisfaction
- 10 November 2005: Nurse and pharmacist prescribing powers extended
- August 2005: DH advice and guidance in this HealthExecTV programme on the opportunities for nurses to take a greater role in improving patient care and patient services through nurse prescribing
- 14 April 2004: Nurses' prescribing powers to be extended
- 17 November 2003: 'Nurses need to be all that they can be'
- 19 February 2002: More prescribing power for NHS nurses
- 4 May 2001: Patients to get quicker access to medicines
Previous consultations
30 April 2003: Nurse Prescribers Extended Formulary: proposals to extend range of prescription only medicines
January 2001: Proposals to extend nurse prescribing
Additional links
Related links
Help viewing PDFs
Useful tips to ensure you get the most from PDFs and the free Reader program. Topics covered include accessibility, troubleshooting and searching files.
Access keys
