The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7252 p791
7 June 2003

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  SGM
  New Charter
  CD prescribing
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Letters to the Editor

CD precscribing

An opportunity to reduce hassle

From Dr C. F. Green, MRPharmS

I note with interest that the legalities of Controlled Drugs prescription requirements are under review, albeit with a specific agenda (PJ, 31 May, p739). However, I have every confidence that the Council of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has already spotted this opportunity to add to the review, and discussed how it could benefit pharmacists.

From a hospital pharmacy perspective (and I am sure that community pharmacists have similar problems) there are two key areas where the Council should push for change. The first is that hospital pharmacists should be able to write discharge prescriptions for CDs; it is ridiculous that they cannot. Secondly, where doctors fail to understand the nuances of dosage form design and prescribe, for example, MST 50mg tablets (rather than writing out the correct number of 10mg and 30mg tablets), instead of harrassing the doctor to change it and waste his time and ours, pharmacists should be able to supply the appropriate strength of tablets under their own authority. I would also like to see the abolition of writing requirements for hospital discharge prescriptions since, provided pharmacists have the inpatient prescription, it is possible for them to verify the authenticity of CD prescriptions on the spot. However, this is probably a little politically sensitive, so I will happily settle for the first two for now.

I am not suggesting a free-for-all with CDs, but with appropriate documentation or legal guidance, these long-standing and irritating problems could be eradicated without any loss of benefit to patients and at the same time, relieve pharmacists and doctors of unnecessary hassle.

Chris Green
Assistant Director of Pharmacy,
Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital

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