Plain-English articles about unlicensed specials — for pharmacies, patients and carers, prescribers and care homes. Clear, careful, and written for whoever needs them.
Some people can't take a medicine the standard way — a child who can't swallow a tablet, someone who needs a different form or strength. When a clinician decides a licensed medicine won't meet that need, a special can be made or sourced. Here's what specials are, why they exist, and how they're supplied — explained simply.
Coming soonThe job a chain's head office quietly does for specials — buying, compliance, reimbursement and growth — and what changes when an independent carries all of it alone at the counter.
Read more →When a licensed medicine doesn't fit a person's clinical needs, a special can be made or sourced to meet them. A plain-English look at why — and who decides.
Coming soonReliable supply, complete records and safe handling when a resident can't take a medicine the usual way. What CQC and NICE guidance point to.
Coming soonSpecials endorsing is fiddly and easy to get wrong — and mistakes cost real money. The common pitfalls, and how to avoid leaving fees on the table.
Coming soonA clawback isn't always the end of the story. What the evidence needs to show, and how a clear factual record helps you challenge one.
Coming soonWhat to expect from a Specials Ready pharmacy: sourcing through licensed routes, documentation, safety checks and continuity of supply.
Coming soonCertificates, traceability and a no-licensed-alternative trail — the records a pharmacy should keep for specials, and for how long.
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