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Community pharmacies in Wales have started supplying patients with medicines and appliances that have been ordered by optometrists to treat common eye conditions two years after changes were made to legislation. 

The new NHS service, which started on April 6, allows pharmacies to supply the products without a GP prescription and free of charge. It follows amendments to the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Wales) Regulations 2020 which were made in 2024.

The Welsh Government said the changes allow pharmacies to “supply specified ophthalmic-listed medicines and appliances in accordance with an NHS signed order written by a qualified optometrist in the country”.

“Pharmacies will be reimbursed the cost of the medicines or appliances they supply and receive a fee for each one they make against an NHS optometry signed order,” the Welsh Government said.

It added: “The pharmacy must supply medicines in accordance with any directions given by the qualifying optometrist.”

Pharmacy contractors will supply medicines and appliances ordered by optometrists via WP10(SO) forms although they cannot be used by pharmacies in other parts of the UK.

Pharmacies will submit those forms to the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership for reimbursement at the end of each month.

“Pharmacies will receive professional fees and practice payments for each medicine or appliance they supply against WP10(SO) forms as set out in Parts III and VIA of the Drug Tariff,” the Government said.