Decision

Temporary approval to suspend the need for signatures on prescriptions, dental and ophthalmic forms

Temporary approval to suspend the need for patients to sign prescription, dental and ophthalmic forms for a period of 5 months to 31 March 2021.

• From: Department of Health and Social Care and The Rt Hon Matt Hancock
• Published: 1 November 2020

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

This publication was withdrawn on 31 March 2021

This decision has been superseded by a decision to extend the temporary approval until 30 June 2021.

Documents

Suspension of patient signatures on prescription, dental and general ophthalmic services forms

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Details

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has approved a temporary measure in England to help limit the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) by suspending the need for patients to sign prescription, dental and ophthalmic forms for a period of 5 months to 31 March 2021.

This is to avoid cross contamination and help minimise the handling of paperwork when collecting medicines or receiving dental and eye care.

This must be carried out in line with the criteria set out in the attached document.

Patients will still be required to either pay the relevant charge or prove their eligibility for an exemption from charges. Where patients are exempt from charges, the dispensing contractor, dental or ophthalmic contractor will mark the form on the patient’s behalf to confirm the patient’s entitlement to exemption and, where applicable, to confirm that the patient’s evidence of eligibility has not been seen. Additionally, where patients would otherwise be required to sign the dental and ophthalmic forms, contractors will annotate the form with ‘COVID-19’ instead.

This is a temporary approval in light of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Published 1 November 2020