The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7409 p74
15 July 2006

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· CPPE
· Controlled drugs (2)
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Letters to the Editor

Controlled drugs

No amount of legislation will stop another Shipman

From Dr G. E. Appelbe, FRPharmS

Like B. S. James (PJ, 8 July, p48) I applaud the excellent article by Cathal Gallagher (PJ, 1 July, p13) on the new Controlled Drugs regulations which have followed the Shipman Inquiry. One can have some sympathy for the legislators who have to reconcile the need to leave the trust in, and the freedom for, the medical profession to exercise its care for patients but I question the need to strengthen the existing legislation so it becomes burdensome and time-consuming for pharmacists. No doubt the tightening of the legislation will help to reduce abuse and potential fraud but I fail to see how these added restrictions will prevent another Shipman because he was not limited by any of these restrictions to obtain his supply.

As Dr Gallagher rightly states, Shipman’s two methods of obtaining his supply of CDs was in collecting a patient’s supply himself or removing unused patients medicines for the purpose of destruction. So what has changed? Neither of these sources have been changed by the new regulations. Indeed a pharmacist is now required in the new regulations to ascertain whether a person is collecting CDs is the “patient, the patient’s representative or a health care professional”.

We have had doctor killers before: Crippen, Bodkin-Adams, and now Shipman. As stated in the article their purpose was to kill. For a doctor to obtain drugs lawfully is simple and so it should be for him to perform his duties to the public. Let us keep the situation in proportion knowing that our doctors are trustworthy and act mainly in the interest of patients. However no amount of legislation will stop another Shipman and in that regard the inquiry was a failure. Perhaps if this had been recognised the £23m could have been spent on a better cause.

Gordon Appelbe
London

FP10(HNC) clarification

From Mr J. G. Timmins, MRPharmS

The recent article (PDF 90K) on the new Controlled Drugs regulations (PJ, 1 July, p25 ) is welcome. However I would like to clarify one point that is not made clear in the article. This relates to FP10(HNC) forms issued by hospital outpatient clinics for dispensing by community pharmacists.

Hospital prescribers do not have a personal number for use on FP10(HNC) forms and I have confirmed with the Prescription Pricing Authority that for these prescriptions the clinic code (printed on each prescription) is acceptable.

This may save a number of queries to prescribers and inconvenience to patients and pharmacists.

John Timmins
Clinical Director of Pharmacy and Medicines Management
Sheffield Children’s NHS Trust

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