Controlled Drugs

Introduction

The UK Health Act 2006 introduced new monitoring and inspection requirements for controlled drugs. These new arrangements are designed to work within and alongside existing governance systems to promote the safe, secure and effective use of controlled drugs.

Regulations made under the Health Act – the Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2006 require healthcare organisations to appoint an Accountable Officer to be accountable for the safe management and use of controlled drugs in their organisation.

The Accountable Officer for Controlled Drugs is Roisin Kavanagh, Director of Pharmacy NHS Ayrshire & Arran.

Reporting Controlled Drug Incidents

All incidents and concerns relating the use or management of CDs must be reported to the Accountable Officer. This includes:

  • All events or near misses involving prescribing, administration or dispensing of CDs.
  • Complaints from patients/service users relating to CDs.
  • Unexplained losses/discrepancies of any CDs, regardless of schedule.
  • Events or near misses involving CD destruction.
  • Fraud or possible criminal issues, lost, stolen prescriptions, suspected illegal activity relating to CDs e.g. theft, attempts to obtain CDs by deception.

All CD incident reports must include details of any investigations undertaken and actions taken to prevent recurrence.

CD Incident Reporting Form 

Please return CD incident reporting form by email to: Clinical_AO_ControlledDrugReports_AA@aapct.scot.nhs.uk

Controlled Drug Destructions

Schedule 2 CD stock that has expired or no longer fit for use must be destroyed in the presence of an Authorised Witness (AW), who has been given authority to carry out this task by the Accountable Officer for NHS Ayrshire & Arran. Should a community pharmacy need to arrange an AW visit for destruction of CDs, then contact the CD Inspection Officer by email: Sharleen.Bell@aapct.scot.nhs.uk

CD destruction Request Form – Community Pharmacies 

Witness to Controlled Drug Destruction Form

Other Useful Information

How to deal with Methadone and CD liquid spillages in Community Pharmacy

Form CDRF(CP) Requisition for Schedules 1, 2 and 3 Controlled Drugs

Private CD Prescriber Applications for Registration – Information Flow Chart

PHS (PPCD) 01 Private Prescriber/ Controlled Drugs Registration or Change of Circumstances Form

Please return CD incident reporting form to clinical mailbox: Clinical_AO_ControlledDrugReports_AA@aapct.scot.nhs.uk

If you have any questions, please contact the CD Team via the email address above.

Accountable Officer / Controlled Drug Governance Team Contacts

Roisin Kavanagh (AO and Director of Pharmacy)
Email:  Roisin.Kavanagh@aapct.scot.nhs.uk

Iain Fulton (Principal Pharmacist Public Health and Community)
Email: iain.fulton@aapct.scot.nhs.uk

Sharleen Bell (Controlled Drug Inspection Officer)
Email: Sharleen.Bell@aapct.scot.nhs.uk