Further information is provided in the Trust Medicines Policy.
Writing a prescription for a controlled drug for discharge:
The Trust has a separate prescription sheet for prescribing Controlled Drugs for discharge. They should also be noted on the main discharge prescription.
To comply with the Misuse of Drugs Regulations out-patient and discharge prescriptions must
be written entirely in the prescriber's own handwriting and in ink;
be signed and dated by the prescriber;
specify the prescriber's address
and state
i. the name and address of the patient;
ii. the form (eg tablets, injection, mixture etc);
iii. the strength of the preparation (where appropriate);
iv. the dose and frequency of administration;
v. the total quantity to be dispensed in both words and figures.
For controlled drugs supplied in dose units, such as tablets, then this should be the number of dose units (tablets). For preparations such as mixtures, the total quantity of the mixture in millilitres should be stated.
(N.B Stating the number of doses to be supplied, or the duration of treatment in words and figures does not meet legal requirements. Likewise, stating the total quantity of the controlled drug itself, eg morphine sulphate 1800mg, does not meet legal requirements).
Notes
If two or more strengths of a dose form are required to provide the required dose, then both should be specified (see example c).
If necessary, controlled drugs can be supplied in instalments (for example with methadone withdrawal regimes). In such cases the prescription must state
the quantity to be supplied in each instalment
the frequency at which the instalments are to be supplied
It is an offence for a pharmacist to dispense a prescription incompletely written by a doctor. All information required by law must be on the prescription before it can be dispensed.
Examples of Controlled Drug Prescriptions
where a product is supplied in dose units (e.g. capsules)
Zomorph capsules 30mg
30mg bd
Please supply 14 (fourteen) capsules
where a product is not supplied in dose units (e.g. mixture)
Morphine Sulphate Mixture 10mg in 5ml
20mg every 4 hours
Please supply 250ml (two hundred and fifty millilitres)
where more than one strength is needed to give the required dose.for example where a dose of morphine sulphate in modified release capsules of 50mg is required.
Morphine sulphate mr capsules
50mg bd
Please supply
28 (twenty eight) 30mg capsules and
56 (fifty six) 10mg capsules
Formulary Preparations
Oral Solutions
Morphine sulphate oral solution 10mg in 5ml, 100mg in 5ml
Tablets (standard release)
Morphine sulphate tablets 10mg (Sevredol)
Modified Release (12 hourly)
Morphine sulphate mr capsules 10mg, 30mg, 60mg, 100mg, 200mg (Zomorph)
Morphine Sulphate CR suspension sachets 20mg, 30mg, 60mg, 100mg
(MST Continus Suspension)
Modified Release (24 hourly)
Morphine sulphate mr capsules 30mg, 60mg, 90mg, 120mg, 150mg, 200mg
(MXL Capsules)
Reference:
British National Formulary
Controlled Drugs and Drug Dependence