Page 39 - P4304.1-V100_PS Magazine - August 24 PRINT

Prescriptions for Schedule 2 & 3 CDs

The prescriber has three main responsibilities:
• to avoid creating dependence by introducing CDs to patients
without enough reason. Here, the prescribing of the morphine-like
drugs is important. Do you have adequate controls in place with
regard to repeat prescription requests? Are repeats limited to a
small number of issues before reauthorisation? Just because it
isn’t a Schedule 2 CD doesn’t mean it is not addictive!

• to see that the patient does not gradually increase the dose of
a drug, other than for good medical reasons, to the point where
dependence becomes more likely. The prescriber should keep a
close eye on the quantity of CDs prescribed to prevent patients
from accumulating stocks. Again – what are your controls? I
always recommend using the repeat medication option with limited
issues rather than acute supplies which can become a free for all.

• to avoid being used as a source of supply for addicts and being
vigilant to methods for obtaining medicines. Do you have patients
visiting more than one doctor, attending A&E at weekends,
fabricating stories about losing medications or even ordering for
elderly relatives where you haven’t seen the patient for a while?
Again - do you have adequate prescribing controls in place when
processing prescription requests?

Dispensing Duration of treatment

Controlled Drugs when the medication is a

As a dispenser, I believe you Controlled Drug
also have a responsibility to
be aware of potential issues Best practice is that the quantity of CDs
regarding supply of these be limited to a quantity for up to 30 days’
medications to your patients treatment but there may be instances where a
and to raise concerns to the GP. prescriber believes that a prescription should be
You will be privy to those early issued for a longer period. Long holidays abroad
requests each month or the are the most likely reason for a greater than
patient who is always claiming 30-day supply. In this instance it is not illegal
to have ‘mislaid’ their tablets! to dispense CD prescriptions with quantities
for than 30 days’ supply but you will need to
consider how you will handle such requests.
Maybe adding a script note would be a good idea
so the next issue is not supplied before it is due.
Good guidance regarding travelling with
medications can be found here:

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/
medicines/can-i-take-my-medicine-abroad/

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or call us on 01904 558 350 Controlled Drugs | PS Magazine 3 9

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