Guidance

Apply for authorisation of premises for retail supply of veterinary medicines by suitably qualified persons (SQPs)

Apply for authorisation of premises for the retail supply of POM-VPS and NFA-VPS veterinary medicines by suitably qualified persons (SQPs).

A suitably qualified person (SQP) is a person who is permitted to prescribe and/or supply certain veterinary medicines under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR).

SQPs can supply veterinary medicines classified POM-VPS that they have prescribed or that have been prescribed by a veterinary surgeon, pharmacist or another appropriately qualified SQP and supply veterinary medicines classified NFA-VPS from:

  • premises authorised by us as suitable for the storage and supply by an SQP (SQP retailer premises)
  • a pharmacy registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, or with the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
  • a veterinary practice premises (VPP) registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)

Requirements for SQP Retailers

Application form

SQP Retailer application form (ODT, 43.7 KB)

Fees

There is an application fee, which is payable with your application.

For GB SQP retailer premises there are also ongoing annual fees and associated inspections fees.

The application and annual fees are stated in the application form and are not refundable or transferable.

Contact

Send your completed application form to inspections@vmd.gov.uk.

Payment of the application fee must be made by bank transfer to the bank details found on the application form.

If you have any queries please contact the Inspections Administration Team, inspections@vmd.gov.uk.

Timescales

We will assess your application form within 10 days of receipt. If you have provided all of the required information we will notify you that we have granted your premises conditional authorisation, which enables you to trade prior to an inspection.

We will then aim to inspect your premises within 3 months of validation of your application.

If the information provided is incomplete or not satisfactory then we will inform you and put your application on hold until we’ve received the appropriate documents.

You may not trade in POM-VPS or NFA-VPS medicines until you have received confirmation from us that your premises have been conditionally authorised.

Becoming an SQP

Three organisations are responsible for training and registering SQPs:

Code of Practice for SQPs (PDF, 234 KB, 15 pages)

Register of Approved SQP Retailers Premises.

List of Registered SQPs

Published 26 November 2014
Last updated 17 May 2024 + show all updates
  1. Updated to reflect changes to the VMR.

  2. Addition of Vetpol Ltd as an organisation responsible for SQP training.

  3. Updated Application Form

  4. Updated form for the approval of premises for retail supply of veterinary medicines by SQP

  5. Revised SQP Code of Practice

  6. To add another body recognised for the registration of SQPs

  7. First published.