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Springfields Medical Centre
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Controlled Drug Prescribing

What is a controlled drug?

These are medications that are regulated by the government

This is usually because they are at higher risk of causing harm (such as dependence or misuse) if they are used inappropriately 

As a practice we have legal and clinical requirements to fulfil with regards to their prescription 

The prescribing of these medications is different than the prescribing of other medications that are prescribed by us


Am I taking a Controlled Drug?

 

Commonly used controlled drugs are

  • Tramadol
  • Morphine
  • Oxycodone
  • Buprenorphine (often as butec patches)
  • Pregabalin and gabapentin
  • Zopiclone

 

For a list of controlled drugs please see the following; Controlled drugs list - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

Prescribing controlled drugs is the decision of the prescriber and occasionally a prescriber may choose to deviate from what is written below 

This may mean that they decline a prescription or issue an altered course

There will be clinical reasons for this and we ask that this can be respected


Length of prescription

 

It is a good practice requirement (advised by CQC, the department of health and the GMC) that the prescribed quantity of controlled medications are limited to 30 days

This is the maximum length that we are willing to put on a repeat prescription

Occasionally we will reduce the length of this prescription to less than this 


Ordering Requirements

 

We will not issue a controlled drug that is requested more than 3 days before it is due

In exceptional circumstances an appointment with a clinician to discuss this may be needed


Reviews

 

We ask for regular reviews of these medications to ensure that you are taking a medication that is benefitting you and not harming you

When requesting a review we ask that this can be made prior to the next prescription request

Review time periods range from 1-12 months

If review appointments are not made we may;

  • Refuse to issue medications 
  • Reduce the amount of a medication that is issued 

Stolen Medications

 

If your controlled medications are stolen please contact the police to inform them

We will need a crime number before we will issue further medications


Lost medications

 

If your controlled medications are lost and you require these to be reissued you will require a GP appointment to discuss this


Travelling with Controlled Drugs

 

We appreciate that it may be necessary to travel with controlled drugs for more than 30 days. The Care Quality Commission advise us that;

‘In exceptional circumstances, where the prescriber considers more than 30 days is clinically indicated and would not pose an unacceptable risk to patient safety, a record of the reasons for deviating from the guidance should be made in the patient’s record and the prescriber should be able to justify the decision, if challenged’.

If you require more than 30 days supply of a controlled drug you will need to make an appointment to discuss this

We would advise arranging this appointment within plenty of time from your travel dates to ensure this can be arranged.

 

 

Travelling with medicine containing controlled drugs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

References

https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/gps/gp-mythbusters/gp-mythbuster-28-management-controlled-drugs (accessed 15/4/24)

 

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Springfields Medical Centre

Legh Street, Warrington, WA1 1UG

  • 01925 361991
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