Rawesome Vets · Internal Staff Protocol

Special & Compounded Drug Orders

Nursing Team
Medicine Administrative

Version 1.0 · May 2026 · For internal staff use

Use this SOP for any medication that is not in our regular stock — including compounded medications and special-order items.

Compounded medications and non-stock items are non-refundable. Full payment must be taken before the order is placed. No exceptions.

1. Taking the Request

When a client calls or asks at the desk for a medication that is not in regular stock:

  1. Client name and patient name
  2. Confirm the name of the medication — ask the client to read it from the label if they have it. Cross-check against the patient file in OpenVPMS to confirm spelling.
  3. Confirm the strength — match against what was last dispensed in OpenVPMS, not just what the client says. Strengths can change between dispenses, so always verify.
  4. Confirm the patient's current dose — what they are giving now (frequency and amount). Note any changes from the last dispensed dose.
  5. Quantity requested
  6. How urgent — flag if needed today or tomorrow
  7. How they want it — collect from clinic, post (extra charge applies)
  8. Set their expectation: "I'll check with the vet and the supplier — I'll call you back today to confirm the price and timing."
Why confirm strength and dose against the file

If the client misremembers the strength or dose, ordering the wrong medication wastes time and money — and the order is non-refundable. Always cross-check against what was last dispensed before placing the order.

2. Get Vet Approval

General rule

Most cases can be dispensed for up to 6 months from the last consultation. After 6 months, the patient generally needs to be seen again before another dispense. The vet has the final say — always confirm.

For some medications, a 6-monthly blood test is required before re-dispensing (e.g. ongoing thyroid, liver, kidney, or long-term NSAID/steroid use). The patient file should flag this — check the notes before contacting the vet.

  1. Open the patient file in OpenVPMS — confirm it is an existing patient
  2. Check when the patient was last seen:
    • Within 6 months — usually fine to dispense; still get vet sign-off
    • More than 6 months — flag to the vet; client likely needs to bring the patient in for a consult before re-dispensing
  3. Check for a blood test requirement — if the medication needs 6-monthly bloods, confirm the most recent test is within 6 months before contacting the vet
  4. Add a note to the file: "[Date] — [Client] requested [medication, strength, current dose]. Forwarded to [vet] for approval."
  5. Vet decides:
    • Approved — proceed to order
    • Approved with conditions — e.g. "dispense one month only, then bloods due"
    • Rejected — consult or bloods needed first — call the client back and book the appointment
  6. Record the vet's decision on the file with the date

3. Placing the Order

Compounded medications

  • Contact the compounding pharmacy (see Specialists & Suppliers for current contact details)
  • Provide: patient name, species, weight, exact medication and strength, quantity, vet name and prescriber number
  • Confirm price and turnaround time before placing the order

Special non-stock orders (Lyppard or other suppliers)

  • Order through our standard supplier portal
  • Confirm price and ETA before placing
  • Add to the order book / log so the order can be tracked when it arrives

4. Payment Before Ordering

No order is placed before payment is confirmed. If the client cannot pay upfront, do not place the order — call them back when they can.
  • Call the client back with the confirmed price and ETA
  • Take full payment over the phone or in person before placing the order
  • If posting, add postage to the invoice at this point
  • Note on the file: "[Date] — Payment received for [medication], order placed with [supplier]"

5. Turnaround & Urgency

Order typeStandard turnaroundUrgent option
Compounded medications 2 business days from order placement Flag to compounding pharmacy at order — case-by-case
Lyppard / general supply Within the week Order before 10am = same-day delivery. After 10am = next business day after 4pm
Urgent orders

If the client flags it as urgent, or the vet has indicated the medication is needed quickly:

  • Lyppard order placed before 10am — arrives same day
  • Lyppard order after 10am — arrives next business day after 4pm
  • Mark the order as urgent in the order book and tell the vet when it arrives

6. When the Order Arrives

  1. Check the order against the packing slip — confirm correct medication, strength, quantity, expiry
  2. If anything is wrong, do not dispense — set aside, contact supplier, notify vet
  3. Label the medication with patient name, owner name, dose, and instructions (vet provides instructions)
  4. Vet checks and signs off the dispensed medication before it leaves the clinic
  5. Call the client to let them know it has arrived and is ready for collection
  6. Note on the file: "[Date] — Order arrived, client called to advise"

7. Client Collection

  • Confirm the medication is paid for before handing over (it should already be paid)
  • Walk the client through dosing, storage (fridge or not), side effects, and when to return — see Discharge Protocol Section 5 for the full list
  • If posting, send by tracked post and email the tracking number to the client

8. If Not Collected

  • If the client has not collected the medication within 1 week of being notified, call them again
  • If still not collected after 2 weeks, flag to the practice manager — the medication remains the client's property as it has been paid for
  • Do not refund or restock — compounded and non-stock items are non-refundable

Sign Off

Confirm you have read and understood this SOP.

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