Yes, controlled drugs can be prescribed electronically in the UK in some cases, but the rules are different depending on whether you’re prescribing through the NHS or privately.
If you work in private healthcare, you can use e-prescribing software to issue controlled drug prescriptions, but Schedule 2 and 3 drugs still come with an extra step: in England, the pharmacy needs the physical FP10PCD before it can dispense the medication.
It can sound a little confusing at first, especially when so much of private prescribing has already moved online. The good news is that having the right system in place can make the process much easier, even when you still need to do some paperwork.
At Healistic, we work with private clinicians prescribing everything from everyday medication to Schedule 2-5 controlled drugs. Our system is designed with built-in safeguards to make prescribing them both convenient and easy.
To find out more, book in a demo with the team.
What are controlled drugs?
Controlled drugs are medicines that have extra legal controls around how they can be prescribed.
Many of the medicines that clinicians prescribe every day, from strong painkillers like morphine and fentanyl to some of the medications used to treat ADHD and mental health conditions, are considered “controlled drugs” in the UK.
They're described as "controlled" because there is a greater risk of misuse, abuse, addiction, and physical or psychological dependence, so there are tighter rules around them than you would find with most other prescription medicines.
Under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, controlled drugs are divided into five schedules, with different rules applying to each.
Schedule 1 covers drugs with little or no recognised medicinal use. In fact, doctors cannot prescribe these drugs routinely without a special licence. Some examples include LSD, MDMA and Cannabis.
Schedules 2-5 on the other hand, includes medicines that can be prescribed for patients, but with extra levels of control.
For clinicians, it’s important to know which schedule a medicine falls under because that can change what needs to be on the prescription, how it can be issued and what the pharmacy needs before it can dispense it.
Can controlled drugs be prescribed electronically through the NHS?
Yes, Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs can be prescribed electronically through the NHS Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) in England.
This means that controlled NHS prescriptions can travel electronically from the prescriber to the pharmacy, rather than relying on a physical prescription being carried between the two.
However, the doctor still needs to include the right information on the prescription, including the form of the drug, the strength, dose and total quantity in both words and numbers.
For most clinicians working in private practice, however, the more relevant question is what happens outside the NHS?
Can controlled drugs be prescribed electronically in private healthcare?
Yes, controlled drugs can be prescribed electronically in private healthcare, but Schedule 2 and 3 drugs still need a physical FP10PCD before a pharmacy in England can dispense them.
This is where they are different from regular prescriptions.
For most private prescriptions, you issue the prescription electronically through the software, it reaches the pharmacy and the medication can be dispensed without a paper prescription.
Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs are different.
If you're prescribing one privately, you'll need to complete an FP10PCD form. This is a pink private controlled drug prescription form and it needs a handwritten signature to be valid.
So while software can take care of much of the journey, reporting and admin, when it comes to Controlled drugs, the physical prescription still needs to be supplied.
How do you prescribe Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs privately?
To prescribe a Schedule 2 or 3 controlled drug privately in England, you need to complete an FP10PCD with all of the information needed for the pharmacy to legally dispense it.
There are a few details worth double-checking before it leaves your clinic.
The prescription needs:
- The patient's full name and address
- Your UK address and private prescriber identification number
- The name, formulation and strength of the medication
- The dose
You'll also need to give the total quantity in both words and figures to avoid any confusion.
It’s worth checking these details before sending the FP10PCD. A missing piece of information can mean the pharmacy is unable to dispense the medication, which creates another job for your team and, more importantly, can delay medication reaching your patient.
How do controlled drug prescriptions work on Healistic?
Healistic supports Schedule 2-5 controlled drug prescriptions, with a slightly different process depending on what you're prescribing.
For Schedule 4 and 5 drugs, you can prescribe through Healistic without sending a physical Controlled Drug FP10.
Schedule 2 and 3 drugs still need a physical FP10PCD before the pharmacy can dispense them, but you can manage the rest of the prescription through Healistic.
Here’s how it works:
You create the prescription in the same way you would any other, Healistic automatically identifies if it’s a controlled drug that needs an extra layer of compliance.
You can then upload a scan of the FP10PCD. This is optional, and you'll still need to post the original to the pharmacy.
Once the prescription has been accepted by the pharmacy, you can generate a free, trackable Royal Mail label and send the physical prescription to them.
Whilst they wait for the physical document to arrive, the pharmacy can use that scan to check the FP10PCD against the digital prescription.
Once the original FP10PCD reaches the pharmacy and has been checked, the patient is sent a payment link and can arrange their delivery.
Book in a demo to find out more.
Why does the right e-prescription software matter when prescribing controlled drugs?
Good e-prescription software makes controlled drug prescribing easier to manage because it brings the clinical, pharmacy and fulfilment sides of the process together.
The legal elements aren't going anywhere, nor should they. The issue for private clinics is the amount of admin that can build up around them.
With Healistic, you can issue private prescriptions from your laptop, phone or tablet, while our pharmacy network takes care of sourcing, dispensing and delivery. For controlled drugs needing an FP10PCD, we've built that extra step into the process rather than leaving you to manage it yourself.
It means you still follow the rules, but you don't have to build your own admin system around it.
Make controlled drug prescribing easier for your clinic with Healistic
Healistic gives private clinics one place to manage controlled drug prescribing, pharmacy fulfilment and patient delivery, including the physical forms needed for Schedule 2 and 3 medications.
If you're prescribing controlled medication, you shouldn't have to choose between staying compliant and giving patients the quick, convenient service they expect from private healthcare. You also shouldn't need members of your team spending hours calling pharmacies, chasing prescriptions or answering delivery questions.
Healistic supports Schedule 2-5 controlled drugs, is free for clinics and prescribers to use, and connects you directly with our pharmacy and delivery network. More than 1,500 healthcare professionals already use the platform for private prescribing.
If controlled drug prescriptions are a regular part of your clinic's workload, book a free Healistic demo and we'll show you how the process works from prescription to delivery.
