Website of the Department of Health

Results

• 1. Controlled drugs

  We recommend

  This section contains information on the post Shipman changes to the legal framework around the use and management of controlled drugs. It signposts the user to the relevant legislation and guidance from Government, professional bodies and other agencies.

  8 February 2010

  Controlled Drugs section

• 2. Safer management of controlled drugs: changes to requirements for requisitions for the supply of schedule 1, 2 and 3 controlled drugs. Interim guidance (for England only)

  This guidance is to inform and support relevant health and social care professionals, organisations and suppliers of controlled drugs in implementing changes to the requirements in respect of requisitions used for the supply of schedule 1 2 and 3 controlled drugs

  16 October 2007

  Publications section

• 3. Safer management of controlled drugs: changes to record keeping requirements. Interim guidance (for England only)

  This guidance is intended to inform and support relevant healthcare professionals and organisations in implementing changes to record keeping requirements for controlled drugs (CDs), required by changes made to 'The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001' set out in SI 2006/1450 and SI 2006/2178.

  28 January 2008

  Publications section

• 4. Safer management of controlled drugs: Private CD prescriptions and other changes to the prescribing and dispensing of controlled drugs

  This document sets out the action required to implement a series of changes to the way controlled drugs (CDs) for human use are prescribed and dispensed and the monitoring of this activity.

  3 July 2006

  Publications section

• 5. Safer management of controlled drugs: Guidance on strengthened governance arrangements

  The purpose of this guidance is to promote the safe and effective use of all controlled drugs. The guidance sets out best practice and planned legislative change to strengthen governance arrangements for controlled drugs in England.

  9 March 2006

  Publications section

• 6. Guidance on the destruction of controlled drugs - new role for Accountable Officers

  This guidance is to inform relevant health and social care professionals and organisations about changes to the role of Accountable Officer for controlled drugs which now enable them to authorise people, or groups of people to witness the destruction of controlled drugs.

  29 August 2007

  Publications section

• 7. Final guidance - Safer management of controlled drugs (CDs): changes to record-keeping requirements

  The purpose of this guidance is to inform and support relevant healthcare professionals and organisations in implementing changes to the record keeping requirements for controlled drugs required by recent changes to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. This guidance supersedes the document Safer Management of Controlled Drugs: Changes to Record Keeping Requirements (Interim Guidance - June 2006).

  12 October 2006

  Publications section

• 8. Safer management of controlled drugs (CD): changes to record-keeping requirements (June 2006 - Interim guidance)

  The purpose of this guidance is to inform and support relevant healthcare professionals and organisations in implementing changes to the record keeping requirements for controlled drugs required by the recent (November 2005) and forthcoming (July 2006) changes to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

  3 July 2006

  Publications section

• 9. Safer management of controlled drugs: The Government's response to the Fourth report of the Shipman Inquiry

  Sets out the Government's response to the Fourth Report of the Shipman Inquiry, the Regulation of Controlled Drugs in the Community.

  9 December 2004

  Publications section

• 10. Safe management and use of controlled drugs

  Letter highlighting the recommendations in the recently published annual report of the Care Quality Commission on the safer management of controlled drugs, and the responsibilities of trust Chief Executives to support their Accountable Officers in their day-to-day role in delivering these recommendations.

  25 November 2009

  Dear colleague letters section

• 11. Private controlled drugs prescriptions and dental prescribing

  A number of changes are being implemented to the way in which controlled drugs are prescribed and dispensed. The changes came into force on 1st April 2006 and subject to Parliamentary approval, will be given statutory backing by amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations in early summer 2006. This paper highlights the key changes for private controlled drugs (CDs) prescribers.

  31 May 2006

  Publications section

• 12. Interim guidance - safer management of controlled drugs: guidance on the destruction and disposal of controlled drugs

  The purpose of this guidance is to inform relevant health and social care professionals and organisations about changes to the arrangements for safe and legal destruction and disposal of stock controlled drugs. They will not apply to medicines returned by patients.

  12 October 2006

  Publications section

• 13. Safer management of controlled drugs : Monitoring and Inspection guidelines - Core Activities for CD Monitoring and Inspection Work - Primary Care

  These best practice guidelines set out key areas which organisations monitoring and inspecting controlled drugs may wish to include in their work. The guidelines have been produced by a working group of key stakeholders which was chaired by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on behalf of the Department of Health.

  9 March 2006

  Publications section

• 14. Safer management of controlled drugs: guidance on Standard Operating Procedures for controlled drugs

  The Government has introduced strengthened measures to make sure controlled drugs are managed safely.

  2 February 2007

  Publications section

• 15. Safer management of controlled drugs: (1) guidance on strengthened governance arrangements

  The purpose of this guidance is to promote the safe and effective use of all controlled drugs. The guidance sets out strengthened governance arrangements for controlled drugs in England.

  1 January 2007

  Publications section

• 16. Safer management of controlled drugs: early action

  The Shipman Inquiry was set up on 31 January 2001 and was chaired by Lady Justice Janet Smith DBE as an independent public inquiry into the issues arising from the case of Harold Shipman. The Inquiry's Fourth Report was published on 14th July 2004. It focuses on the methods used by Harold Shipman to divert large quantities of potentially lethal controlled drugs and the reasons it was possible for him to do so for so long without detection.

  16 November 2005

  Prescriptions and prescribing section

• 17. Safer management of controlled drugs: a guide to good practice in secondary care (England)

  This document promotes the safe and effective use of controlled drugs in healthcare organisations providing secondary care. First issued in May 2007, the guidance has been updated to reflect amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 made in July 2007.

  17 October 2007

  Publications section

• 18. Safer management of controlled drugs: Draft guidance on strengthened governance arrangements

  Controlled drugs are medicines used to treat a variety of clinical conditions. They are subject to special legislative controls because of their potential for harm if wrongly used. This potential, illustrated by Harold Shipman, has led to the Government to introduce strengthened measures to ensure the safe management of controlled drugs.

  4 July 2005

  Closed consultations section

• 19. Destruction of controlled drugs in GP practices

  PCT staff authorised to witness destruction of unwanted controlled drugs in GP practices and in other settings, as required by Regulation 27(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

  15 December 2005

  Primary care section

• 20. Responses to the consultation on Safer management of controlled drugs: Draft guidance on strengthened governance arrangements

  This paper provides an analysis of the responses received to the consultation on Safer management of controlled drugs, and indicates the key areas of support and concern. The Controlled Drugs Advisory Group (a working group of stakeholders) considered a summary of responses to the consultation and helped determine any necessary changes to the guidance.

  4 July 2005

  Responses to consultations section