News and updates from today's conference focusing on the effective prescribing and governance of controlled drugs by Non Medical Prescribers.
EXTENDED SESSION: Developing your skills in the effective prescribing controlled drugs
• making and recording prescribing decisions
• instalments, repeats and anticipatory prescribing
• understanding limits of practice
• issues and accountability for non-medical prescribers
• minimising the risk of overprescribing that could lead to harm
Dr Edith Israel
Deputy Executive Medical Director of We Are With You (formerly Addaction -The National charity for addiction and mental health) Consultant in Palliative Medicine
Deputy Executive Medical Director of We Are With You
(formerly Addaction -The National charity for addiction and mental health)
Consultant in Palliative Medicine
When prescribing Edith said "be absolutely specific, use words and figures on your prescription, double check names and spellings and take note of millilitres or milligrams", just be very clear".
She also said "You should limit quantity - do not over prescribe".
EXTENDED SESSION: Prescribing Competence
• using the revised national framework to develop, demonstrate and maintain continued competence in nurse/non-medical prescribing
• developing confidence in prescribing practice of controlled drugs
• ensuring your practice is evidence based: guidelines and evidence
• keeping your prescribing knowledge up to date: accessing education, training and resources
• assessing and evaluating prescribing competence
• record keeping, audit and evaluation
Dr Barry Quinn
Senior Lecturer for Cancer & Palliative Care, Queens University
Barry, is the Chair of the Managing Advanced Cancer Pain (MACPT) and the European Oral Care in Cancer (EOCC) expert groups. He has worked in the field of cancer and palliative care for over 30 years and is particularly interested in addressing sym…
On the art of care Barry said to "pay attention, see beyond the symptom, be a skilled companion - Being a companion to someone at a very difficult time in their lives" and have a willingness to learn, we are constantly learning".
Barry also said "In your organisation make sure policies and proceedures are up to date - Are they there to protect the patient and are they there to protect you and your team"
Barry finished his talk by saying "Always be willing to learn, never arriving, always on the journey".
Controlled Drugs Incidents and Diversion A Step by Step Guide to Reporting and Investigation a Controlled Drugs Incident
• raising awareness of controlled drugs incidents and diversion
• method and importance of reporting suspected diversion
• encouraging reporting
• ensuring monitoring systems are in place to identify any unusual prescribing patterns or potential signs of misuse
• a step by step guide to investigating a controlled drugs incident
• Controlled Drugs abuse and diversion by healthcare staff: the scale of the issue and learning from investigations
• case studies
Wendy Mcallister
Vice Chair, Association of Police Controlled Drugs Liaison Officers; Former Controlled Drugs Liaison Officer, Metropolitan Police Service
Wendy is a former police officer. She recently retired from the Metropolitan Police and is now a controlled drugs security consultant.
She was a dedicated controlled drugs liaison officer for the last 13 years of her police career…
"Wendy said "Education and partnership and talking to eachother is key"
Wendy also said "Auditing is so important and could also be improved"
