§ Dr. IddonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent measures he has taken to ensure that local prescribing guidelines are in place governing the prescription of powerful pain relieving and sedative medicines throughout the NHS. [80115]
§ Mr. LammyFollowing the devolution of power to locally-run services, it is the role of primary care trusts (PCTs) to develop such local prescribing guidelines to suit their needs in conjunction with appropriate local clinicians. Local treatment guidelines, including those for powerful pain relieving and sedative medicines, should be in place and overseen by local drug and therapeutics committees.
We are supporting good local prescribing in a number of ways. The systems for clinical and cost effective use of medicines are covered by the Department's medicines management performance management framework. This framework focuses on secondary care and has been developed recently to strengthen working links with PCTs. We have also commissioned the National Prescribing Centre to produce guidance on good practice in managing controlled drug issues in primary care in the national health service. It is hoped to publish the guide in spring 2003. In addition, we are developing a guide, for use by PCTs and out-of-hours primary care providers, which will contain a minimum list of drugs that patients should be able to access from all such providers during evenings, weekends and bank holidays.