Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the General Medical Council (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake any reviews of online prescribing of oral antibiotics.

The General Medical Council (GMC) is an independent body and responsible for matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties.

The GMC has advised that on 31 January 2013, it published Good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices, which came into effect on 25 February 2013. In relation to online prescribing, this guidance is clear on the need for an adequate assessment of the patient’s health, meaningful dialogue and consent, and for the doctor to be satisfied the medicines are appropriate for the patient’s needs. The GMC has a duty to look into concerns raised about individual doctors who are not following this guidance.

The GMC has confirmed that it does not currently have plans to further review its guidance on prescribing and managing medicines and devices.