Guide to care of detainees in police custody
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has produced a guidance document to assist pharmacists who may be asked to supply pharmacy services for detainees in police custody.
“Pharmaceutical care of detainees in police custody” summarises
relevant provisions in legislation, in Government guidelines and in codes
of practice relating to police custody. It explains that, although forensic
physicians (police surgeons) have responsibility for the health care
of police detainees, other health care professionals are increasingly
being involved.
A particular problem discussed in the document is the treatment of drug
misusers who may be receiving daily opiate substitute treatment. To avoid
duplicate dispensing, a forensic physician who issues new prescriptions
should inform the regular prescribing doctor and the pharmacist responsible
for dispensing. A pharmacist who receives such a prescription from a
forensic physician must ensure that the patient has not also picked up
any regular supplies for the same day or period.
The guidance also states that the custody officer must consult an appropriate
health care professional before a detainee can use medicines brought
in to custody. Pharmacists could therefore receive telephone calls asking
them to verify that a detainee has been prescribed a particular medicine.
The document explains the steps the pharmacist should take to be sure
that the call is genuine.
Other matters covered by the document include supervised consumption
of medicines by detainees, the legal requirements relating to private
prescriptions written by forensic physicians, record-keeping provisions
and requisitions for stocks of a medicines to be stored at a police station.
“Pharmaceutical care of detainees in police custody” has
been prepared by pharmacist advisers in the Society’s Fitness to
Practise and Legal Affairs Directorate. The five-page A4-size document
can be accessed
from the legal
and ethical advisory service page of the Society’s
website. Any pharmacist without
internet access can obtain a copy by sending a stamped, addressed envelope
(either a C5 or DL envelope with a 23p stamp or a C4 envelope with a
37p stamp) to Legal and Ethical Advisory Service, Fitness to Practise
and Legal Affairs Directorate, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 1 Lambeth
High Street, London SE1 7JN.
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