NECS supports the NHS England Area Team Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer in ensuring the safe management and use of controlled drugs within the North East & Cumbria region. Based on the commonly reported incidents and the lessons learned, we aim to share good practice across the region.
Learning from Incidents Newsletters
April 2020
- COVID-19 Information
- Incident reporting
- Security of Premises
- Delivery Issues
- Part Dispensed Prescriptions
- Patient Returns
- Diversion
- CD Destructions
- Loperamide Misuse
December 2019
- County Lines
- Pregabalin and gabapentin dispensing errors
- Promethazine and Drug Related Deaths
- CD Destructions and T28 Information
- Pharmacy Security
- Fraudulent Prescriptions
September 2019
- Communications between Pharmacies and Substance Misuse Services
- Signposting to Specialist Pharmacies for ‘End of Life’ (EOL) Medication
- Common Dispensing Incidents
February 2019
- Gabapentin/Pregabalin Rescheduling
- Opioid Administration/Prescribing Issues
- Incarcerated Patient Related Issues
August 2018
- Opioid use in long term pain
- Gabapentin/pregabalin drug related deaths
- Oromorph given subcutaneously
- CQC annual report
- Lost Prescriptions
- Annual CD declaration
March 2018
- Burglaries to pharmacies
- Delivery errors
- Alcohol-free phenobarbital liquid for children
- Post-dated prescriptions
- Denaturing reminder
- Dealing with lost or stolen prescriptions
November 2017
- Gabapentin/Pregabalin consultation
- Common CD prescribing/dispensing incidents
- Recent burglaries to pharmacies
August 2017
- Reporting incidents
- Post-dated CD prescriptions dispensed too early
- Patients with protected addresses
- Midazolam injection for palliative care
- What can happen when things go wrong when prescribing for chronic pain
April 2017
- Reporting of illicit drug reactions RIDR
- Diversion of prescription medicines
February 2017
- Destruction of Controlled Drugs
- Examples of suppliers of CD denaturing kits
- CD balance checks during external stocktaking
- Licensed equivalents for special order CDs
November 2016
- Prescribing and supply of controlled drugs
- Advice to Community Pharmacies re the delivery of medicine
- Advice for practices re the security of controlled drug prescriptions
- NICE Guideline NG46: The safe use and management of controlled drugs
July 2016
- Prescribing for temporary residents
- CD incidents reported on SIRMS January – March 2016
- Common prescribing and dispensing incidents
February 2016
- Medicines for palliative care
- What to do with unused medicines when a patient dies
October 2015
- Prescription security
- Security issues for prescribers
- Security issues for practices
- What do the prescription codes mean?
- Forged prescriptions: community pharmacies
- What to do if you come across a forged prescription
July 2015
- Balance discrepancies
- Spillages
- Common reasons for methadone discrepancies
- Reporting a balance discrepancy