The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7351 p645
28 May 2005

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· Prescribing
· Dispensing doctors
· Information systems
· Adverse event reporting (2)
· Pharmacy graduates
· New contract
· Pharmacy technicians
· Community pharmacy
· Birdsgrove House (2)
· Reciprocal registration

Letters to the Editor

Dispensing doctors

Dispensing doctors are less laissez-faire than prescribing-only practices

From Mr N. Morley, MRPharmS

I am the author of ‘Controlled drugs in primary care, the law, probity and good practice’, an expert witness to Ghislaine Brant’s statutory hearing and, wearing a regulatory hat, the responsible person under the Medicines Act for Dispex Ltd, which provides professional support to some 800 dispensing doctor practices. I am perhaps, in all humility, the best person in primary care to respond to Adam Sutherland’s concerns about clinical governance issues and dispensing doctors (PJ, 30 April, p516).

A paper submitted to the Shipman Inquiry and the subject of some dialogue and interest with the inquiry showed that dispensing doctor practices had a far greater grasp of the law, probity and good practice relating to both their legal and regulatory responsibilities and clinical governance in this area than their prescribing-only colleagues. Shipman was not a dispensing doctor.

It should also not be forgotten that all registered doctors may purchase, possess and personally administer Controlled Drugs, providing they have not had their legal authority to do so revoked. Registered medical practitioners have, like registered pharmacists, “blanket” authority.

In my own professional experience, it is unfortunately the prescribing-only practices that are the most laissez-faire with their responsibilities in this area.

Nigel Morley
Managing director
Surelines Pharmaceutical Services Ltd

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