Temporary remote prescribing to end in March
The RCVS Standards Committee will continue to keep the position under review in light of any changes.
Temporary measures that allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe prescription-only veterinary medicines remotely will end on Monday, 14 March 2022, the RCVS has confirmed.
Remote prescribing was first introduced in spring 2020 to allow veterinary surgeons to make prescriptions without needing to physically examine the animal, subject to certain safeguards and conditions.
The RCVS Standards Committee removed the dispensation in October 2021 but reinstated it in December 2021 in light of stricter rules on isolation and the threat of the Omicron variant.
At its meeting on Monday (7 February), the Committee discussed the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19 and recognised that staff absences due to isolation requirements were still causing issues. However, given the relaxation of the work from home requirement and the relaxation of restrictions generally across the UK, the Committee felt it was time to end the dispensation.
Committee chair, Melissa Donald commented: “The safety and wellbeing of veterinary professionals, as well as the health and welfare of the animals they care for, have remained uppermost in our minds when considering this temporary position on remote prescribing.
“We are pleased to have been able to support the professions through a very difficult time by introducing this dispensation, however, it was only ever a temporary measure and, given the relaxation of restrictions across the UK, we feel the time has come to revert to our usual guidance.
“We will continue to keep the position under review in light of any changes, including governments’ advice and regulations, as we have throughout the pandemic.”
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
