A–Z of prescribing for children

There are many legal aspects to consider when entering into independent prescribing, alongside regulatory frameworks and ethical principles. Prescribing professionally requires an awareness of relevant laws underpinning prescribing practice (Gould and Bain, 2022), and some laws and issues when prescribing for children should be considered.

Gillick competence and consent have already been covered in this series (Davies, 2024a), but exploring the child's best interests is a concept that should also be examined. The Children Act (1989) is central to decision making with regards to children's treatment, and focuses on the care, upbringing and the protection of children (Bridgeman, 2021). Healthcare professionals are obliged to act on any concerns they may have if they perceive the child is at risk – and this can also be pertinent if the parent lacks capacity to exert parental responsibility (Griffith, 2009). This also applies if it is not clear who has parental responsibility for the minor. Changing family demographics, however, also need to be considered (Davies, 2023a) with regard to step-parents, same-sex parents or parents with acquired responsibility. If no-one is present with parental responsibility, or the parents – or the child – are unable to consent to aspects of treatment, then the healthcare professional can legally prescribe for the child if they are prescribing in the child's best interests.