Health and social care organisations are continuing to develop systems and services to manage controlled drugs more effectively and to share information on concerns and best practice at a local and national level, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has reported.
The findings have been published in the third annual report on progress made in implementing regulations introduced in response to the Shipman Inquiry. The inquiry found ineffective monitoring had allowed Dr Harold Shipman to divert supplies of diamorphine to kill at least 15 and possibly up to 200 patients without detection.
The Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2006 were then introduced in 2007. Controlled drugs include opioids, such as morphine and diamorphine, which are used for example in relieving severe pain and treating drug dependence. Controlled drugs also include benzodiazepines (tranquillisers and sleeping tablets), anabolic steroids and growth hormones.
Covering the year ended 31 December 2009, the CQC report found the role of the accountable officer, responsible for monitoring controlled drugs, is now embedded in healthcare organisations. Prescribing by nurses and pharmacists also continued to increase in line with policy to increase people’s access to medicines through the introduction of non-medical prescribers. However, the report warned that it is particularly important, considering the current economic cutbacks, that gains such as these are not lost.
CQC chief executive, Cynthia Bower, said: “We’re greatly encouraged by the progress made by provider organisations in improving and embedding the systems and processes necessary to support frontline managers in managing controlled drugs and to pick up concerns. Coupled with the good work done to share intelligence at a local and national level, this shows we are all better equipped to identify inappropriate or unusual prescribing and that patient safety remains top of the agenda for health care organisations.”
