| · The Society
· Community pharmacy
· Control of entry
· Complementary medicine
· Controlled drugs
· Diabetes
· Pharmacy in the US
Letters to the Editor
|
Controlled drugs
We are there to safeguard the public
From Dr B. P. Curwain, MRPharmS
Beverley Stephens (PJ, 26 August, p247) is right to point out that GPs
are still able to purchase Controlled Drugs on signed orders as in the
past. However I take issue with her suggestion that this “loophole” makes
the other changes a waste of time.
As professionals, pharmacists have a responsibility to ensure, where
possible, that supplies they make are not being used for inappropriate
purposes. For example, if a pharmacy were to receive signed orders for
a total of 150 ampoules of diamorphine over a three-month period from
one GP, and no other GP in the area was seeking supplies in this way,
would it be correct simply to carry on supplying? Personally, I would
be loath to do so, unless I could be persuaded that all was above board,
and that I could stand up in front of the Statutory Committee and justify
my actions. Once the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s inspectors
take over the role previously held by the police, we can be sure that
they will ask questions when faced with unusual volumes or patterns of
supply.
Just because a signed order or other document is legal does not mean
that we are obliged to supply. As a locum, I have, after a discussion
with the pharmacy owner, refused to dispense private prescriptions for
large quantities of dihydrocodeine written by a retired doctor for his
wife.
We are there to safeguard the public.
Brian Curwain
Chief Pharmacist and Research and Development Lead
New Forest Primary Care Trust
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal