Non-medical prescribing is an element of the National Health Service modernisation agenda intended to change traditional professional roles and responsibilities, as part of New Ways of Working. This article describes concepts of non-medical prescribing and its implications for UK psychiatric practice. the perceived benefits of non-medical prescribing cannot be denied but debate continues about competence and clinical governance issues. Psychiatrists have an essential role to play in the success of non-medical prescribing. Further research and evaluation are needed to establish what works best in terms of clinical safety and training.

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