The Safer Management of Controlled Drugs Annual Update 2024 provides the latest national data, trends, and safety recommendations to help healthcare providers ensure robust governance and protect patient safety in the handling of controlled drugs.
This year’s update reflects ongoing improvements in compliance, with a reduction in incidents reported across several regions. However, it also highlights areas where vigilance is still needed, including prescribing accuracy, secure storage, and clear documentation.
Key objectives of the 2024 update:
- Strengthen national awareness of risks associated with controlled drugs in all healthcare settings.
- Support organisations to implement sustainable systems for the safe storage, administration, and disposal of controlled drugs.
- Reinforce the role of multi-disciplinary teams, leadership, and staff training in maintaining high safety standards.
- Encourage incident reporting and data sharing to identify trends and target improvement efforts.
- Promote adoption of best practice models and use of technology to reduce risk.
Calls to Action for health professionals:
- Ensure secure storage: Review and audit storage facilities regularly to meet regulatory requirements.
- Prescribe safely: Double-check dosing, particularly for high-risk medicines, and verify patient details before administration.
- Record accurately: Maintain complete, timely, and legible entries in controlled drug registers.
- Report incidents: Share learning from errors, near misses, and suspected diversion to strengthen local and national safety efforts.
- Train continuously: Keep all relevant staff updated with mandatory controlled drugs training and competency checks.
Read more: Full Safer Management of Controlled Drugs Annual Update 2024 here
Related event
Controlled Drugs: Ensuring the Safer Management, Diversion & Abuse, Prescribing and Use
Thursday 19th March 2026
Hybrid Conference, attend in-person or online
This conference is tailored for Controlled Drugs Accountable Officers, pharmacists, liaison officers, and all prescribers especially non-medical prescribers. Participants will gain insights into:
- National developments and CQC expectations
- Case studies on ward-level losses, coroner’s findings, and diversion events
- Strengthening controlled drugs governance and audit practices
- Enhancing prescribing, especially of opioids and end-of-life medications
- Applying legislative learnings from Prevention of Future Deaths reports
- Reflecting on personal practice and system-wide lessons for improvement
