Drugs are prescribed by doctors, dispensed by pharmacists and administered by nurses. Each profession has an obligation to the patient to ensure that the process is carried out safely, efficiently and accurately. A number of rules and guidelines have been formulated for each profession to ensure that this takes place, yet each profession does not work in isolation and it is important that nurses, doctors and pharmacists are aware of the obligations imposed on them and their colleagues to satisfy the requirements where this is law, and advice where the rules are not imposed by statute.