Nurses and others to prescribe CDs from next month
Nurse prescribers are to be allowed to prescribe or supply many Controlled Drugs from 15 October.
Specialist nurses will be allowed to prescribe or supply diazepam, lorazepam
and midazolam for use in palliative care. They will also be allowed to
prescribe or supply codeine phosphate, dihydrocodeine tartrate and co-phenotrope
generally.
Schedule 4 CDs, except anabolic steroids, and all Schedule 5 CDs will
also be made available under patient group directions for use by paramedics,
health visitors, midwives, ophthalmic opticians, chiropodists, orthoptists,
physiotherapists and radiographers. PGDs will also be allowed for the
supply of diamorphine for the treatment of cardiac pain by specialist
nurses in hospital accident and emergency and coronary care units.
The changes were proposed in a consultation paper in February (PJ, 15
March, p356). Pharmacists are already authorised to supply Schedule 4
CDs under PGDs. |
