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Clinical Management Plans (CMPs)

  • Last modified date:
    9 February 2007
The Clinical Management Plan is the foundation stone of supplementary prescribing. Before supplementary prescribing can take place, it is obligatory for an agreed CMP to be in place (written or electronic) relating to a named patient and to that patient's specific condition(s) to be managed by the supplementary prescriber. This should be included in the patient record.

Regulations specify that the CMP must include the following:

  • the name of the patient to whom the plan relates;
  • the illness or conditions which may be treated by the supplementary prescriber;
  • the date on which the plan is to take effect, and when it is to be reviewed by the doctor or dentist who is party to the plan;
  • reference to the class or description of medicines or types of appliances which may be prescribed or administered under the plan;
  • any restrictions or limitations as to the strength or dose of any medicine which may be prescribed or administered under the plan, and any period of administration or use of any medicine or appliance which may be prescribed or administered under the plan;
    [NB The CMP may include a reference to published national or local guidelines. However these must clearly identify the range of the relevant medicinal products to be used in the treatment of the patient, and the CMP should draw attention to the relevant part of the guideline. Any guideline referred to also needs to be easily accessible]
  • relevant warnings about known sensitivities of the patient to, or known difficulties of the patient with, particular medicines or appliances;
  • the arrangements for notification of:-
    a) suspected or known reactions to any medicine which may be prescribed or administered under the plan, and suspected or known adverse reactions to any other medicine taken at the same time as any medicine prescribed or administered under the plan, and
    b) incidents occurring with the appliance which might lead, might have led or has led to the death or serious deterioration of state of health of the patient
  • the circumstances in which the supplementary prescriber should refer to, or seek the advice of, the doctor or dentist who is party to the plan.

Two suggested templates for plans, which may be individualised to meet the patient's needs, are available to download.

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