Common Registration Assessment · Topic deep-dive
GPhC Emergency Supply Questions
Emergency supply is the single most-cited Part 2 weak area in the Board of Assessors’ November 2025 feedback. The rules for patient-requested supply differ from prescriber-requested supply in quantity limits, the list of excluded medicines, the record-keeping requirements, and the time window. Get the distinction wrong in the exam and you will lose a high-weighted mark.
What the GPhC actually tests on this topic
- Patient-requested emergency supply: which medicines are excluded (Schedule 1–3 CDs except phenobarbital for epilepsy), the maximum 30-day quantity rule, the conditions about previous prescription and continuity of treatment
- Prescriber-requested emergency supply: the 72-hour prescription window, no quantity limit, the documentation requirements
- Record-keeping: what must be entered in the POM register and when
- Controlled drug prescription validity: legal requirements (wording, quantities in words and figures, prescriber signature, 28-day validity)
- How emergency supply interacts with NHS prescriptions, private prescriptions, and Schedule 4/5 CDs
Common pitfalls — from the Board of Assessors’ feedback
Confusing patient-requested with prescriber-requested rules
The Board of Assessors specifically names this in November 2025 feedback. Patient-requested has a 30-day quantity cap and excludes most CDs. Prescriber-requested has no quantity cap (subject to the prescriber’s instruction) and a 72-hour deadline for the formal prescription to follow.
Excluded medicines under patient-requested supply
Schedule 1, 2 and 3 controlled drugs are excluded from patient-requested emergency supply — with the explicit exception of phenobarbital prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy. Exam questions test exactly this exception.
Record-keeping requirements
A POM register entry must be made for every emergency supply. The required fields differ slightly between patient-requested and prescriber-requested supply. Know what must be recorded and within what timeframe.
CD prescription validity line-by-line
For Schedule 2 and 3 CD prescriptions: prescriber signature, prescriber address, prescriber details, date, full name and address of patient, age (if under 12), drug name and form, strength, dose, total quantity in both words and figures, and 28-day validity from the date stated. Missing any one of these invalidates the prescription.
Sample practice questions
CRA-style practice questions, not real exam questions. The Board of Assessors does not endorse third-party question banks.
A clinical pharmacist is reviewing Mr O'Brien, a 57-year-old male with co-existing AF on warfarin (target INR 2.0-3.0), frequent INR fluctuations, and CKD stage 3. Current medications include metformin 1 g BD, gliclazide 80 mg BD, ramipril 5 mg OD, and atorvastatin 40 mg ON. HbA1c 72 mmol/mol. Fasting glucose 12.4. eGFR 45. ACR 8 mg/mmol. In the context of this clinical picture, a patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is interested in lifestyle interventions to manage their condition. Which of the following recommendations is NOT appropriate?
- A. Engage in 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly
- B. Follow a low-carbohydrate diet
- C. Limit alcohol intake to one drink per day
- D. Take a daily multivitamin
- E. Monitor blood glucose levels regularly
Show worked answer
Correct answer: D
Which type of dosage form is suitable for a drug with high first-pass metabolism to achieve systemic effects?
- A. Oral tablet
- B. Sublingual tablet
- C. Topical gel
- D. Rectal suppository
- E. Intramuscular injection
Show worked answer
Correct answer: B
Emergency supply — frequently asked
What is the maximum quantity for patient-requested emergency supply?
Up to 30 days’ treatment, with several specific exceptions: an inhaler should be supplied as a full inhaler regardless of strict 30-day calculation; oral contraceptives as a full cycle; insulin, ointments and creams in the smallest pack containing the prescribed quantity. The Human Medicines Regulations are the underlying source.
Can I make an emergency supply of a controlled drug?
Patient-requested: no, with one explicit exception — phenobarbital for the treatment of epilepsy. Schedule 4 and 5 CDs can be supplied under the standard emergency-supply rules. Prescriber-requested: Schedule 2 and 3 CDs cannot be supplied on a prescriber emergency-supply basis under current regulations except for phenobarbital for epilepsy.
How long does the prescriber have to send the prescription?
For prescriber-requested emergency supply, the prescriber must provide a written prescription within 72 hours of the supply being made. If they do not, the pharmacy has dispensed a POM without a valid prescription, which is a legal breach.
What must I record in the POM register for an emergency supply?
For patient-requested: date of supply, name and address of patient, name, strength, form and quantity of medicine supplied, nature of emergency, the fact that you interviewed the patient. For prescriber-requested: date of supply, the same medicine details, the prescriber’s name and address, the date on which the prescription is received. Always check the latest GPhC and RPS guidance.
Is the emergency supply different in Northern Ireland?
The legal underpinning is similar but the regulator is different — the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland publishes its own guidance for Northern Ireland practice. The CRA is sat jointly so trainees should be familiar with the regulations applicable to their jurisdiction.
Practise emergency supply questions in context
Across the full bank of GPhC exam questions — every format, with worked answers grounded in the Board of Assessors’ published feedback.