The implications of the Nursery and Midwifery Council (NMC) ruling on remote prescribing
The NMC has ruled that from June 1, 2025, independent nurse and midwife prescribers will no longer be allowed to remotely prescribe prescription-only medicines (POMs) for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including treatments involving botulinum toxin and hyaluronidase.1
The regulatory shift follows the high-profile NMC Fitness to Practise case involving 59-year-old registered nurse Heather Hazzard, who faced serious misconduct allegations around remote prescribing and delegation in 2021.1
According to the NMC, Hazzard remotely prescribed and facilitated the distribution of botulinum toxin to unverified individuals posing as beauticians, without appropriate clinical assessment or qualification checks, breaching professional prescribing standards.1
In January 2025, after Hazzard admitted to nine charges including improper prescribing and dishonesty, the panel imposed a striking-off order citing the gravity of the case and its implications for…
