As a partnership of GP’s within a busy practice, we work hard to ensure we manage our case loads as safely and efficiently as possible, however we aware of an issue that seems illogical and costly both in time and money.
We, like many other partnerships employ a Nurse Practitioner, qualified to prescribe, who sees many of our same day patients. As with all nurse prescriber he can prescribe freely for any medical condition within his competence, including Schedule 2-5 controlled drugs, but is unable to issue Med 3 “well notes”. This is frustrating to the whole team and patients. We partners often have our appointments booked up in advanced and so patients with acute illnesses who may have already self certified for a week, go to the Nurse Practitioner to be seen and treated and sometimes require a Med3.
Hayden Marriott (the aforementioned Nurse Practitioner we employ) has been working within the campaign to get the DWP to recognise the need for nurse prescribers to be able to sign Med3’s for themselves. We would urge you for the convenience of the patient, GP’s, nurses and for the cost and time efficiency to the NHS, to please support the petition at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/37139, or write to your LMC/GMC , local politician and DWP, and to allow this group of experienced nurses the right to sign Med3 certificates.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Hans de Vrijer, on behalf of the Brundall Medical Partnership, Norwich
