This was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

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Legal prescription requirements for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs

Name and address of the patient

• Sometimes a person may not have a fixed address, in which case ‘no fixed abode’ (or ‘NFA’) would be allowed
• Use of a Post Office Box isn’t acceptable.

Age

• The age of the person must be on the prescription if they are under 12 years old.

Form of the medicine

• The form of the medicine must be on the prescription (e.g. tablets, capsules, ampoules, vials, patches, oral solution), (etc.).
• Abbreviations such as ‘tabs’, ‘caps’ (etc.) can be used.
• It should be clear and unambiguous if the prescriber intends a supply of m/r, s/r (etc.).

Strength

• The strength needs to be written on the prescription if the medicine is available in more than one strength.
• Where more than one strength of a medicine is prescribed on a prescription, each strength should be written separately to avoid ambiguity, meaning there should be a separate dose, form and quantity written for each strength.

Dose

• There must be a clearly defined dose on the prescription.
• It can’t be written as ‘to be taken as directed’ or ‘when required’.
• It can be written as ‘one to be taken as directed’ or ‘two when required’.
• The dose doesn’t need to be in both words and figures.

Total quantity

• The total quantity must be written in both words and figures.
• The total quantity can be expressed as the multiplication of two numbers provided both components are clearly and unambiguously written in both words and figures (e.g. ‘2 packs of 30 tablets; two packs of thirty tablets’ or ’10mg x 10 (ten)’).
• For other preparations such as oral solutions, creams, ointments etc the total amount prescribed must be written in words and figures (e.g. ‘one hundred millilitres (100ml)’ or ‘ten grams (10g)’).
• See the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management for further examples.

Quantity prescribed

• It is strongly recommended by DHSC and the Scottish Government that no more than 30 days’ treatment of Schedule 2, 3 or 4 CDs are prescribed at any time; however, this isn’t a legal restriction.
• Prescribers should be able to justify the quantity prescribed if it is more than 30 days’ supply; however, there may be genuine circumstances for which medicines need to be prescribed in this way.

Prescriber type

• There must be details indicating the type of prescriber who has issued the prescription. 

The following may prescribe CDs and you can check their registration by clicking the links:

• Doctors (General Medical Council).
• Dentists (General Dental Council).
• Vets (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons).
• Independent nurse prescribers (Nursing and Midwifery Council).
• Independent pharmacist prescribers (General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)).
• Independent physiotherapist prescribers may prescribe a limited range of CDs for the treatment of organic disease or injury (Health and Care Professions Council).
• Independent chiropodist prescribers may prescribe a limited range of CDs for the treatment of organic disease or injury (Health and Care Professions Council).
• Independent paramedic prescribers may prescribe a limited range of CDs for the treatment of organic disease or injury (Health and Care Professions Council).
• Independent therapeutic radiographer prescribers may prescribe a limited range of CDs for the treatment of organic disease or injury (Health and Care Professions Council).
• Supplementary prescribers (subject to a clinical management plan).

Signature

• Prescription needs to be signed by the prescriber with their usual signature.
• You should be able to recognise the signature and believe it to be genuine or take reasonable steps to satisfy yourself that it is genuine.
• Prescriptions signed by another prescriber are still legally valid, the address of the prescriber needs to be applicable to the signatory for the prescription to be legally compliant (and the prescriber type should be identified appropriately).
• The CD register entry should record the prescriber that has signed the prescription, rather than the named prescriber.
• Electronic prescriptions (signed with an ‘advanced electronic signature’) for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs are permitted, where the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is used.

Date

• The prescription needs to include the date on which it was signed.
• Prescriptions for Schedules 1 to 4 CDs are valid for 28 days after the appropriate date on the prescription.
• The appropriate date is either the date the form was signed, or another date indicated on the prescription (by the prescriber) before which the medicines should not be supplied – whichever is the later.
• Any owing items should also be supplied within this timeframe (28 days after the appropriate date).
• Prescriptions may contain CD and non-CD items – check the prescription date to make sure it’s still legally valid.

Prescriber’s address

• The prescriber’s address must be included on the prescription and must be in the UK.

Dental prescriptions

• Where the CD prescription is written by a dentist, the words ‘for dental treatment only’ must be present.
• See the section on dental prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs for further information.

Instalment direction

• Where the prescription is intended to be supplied in instalments a valid instalment direction is required. This means the amount of medicine to be supplied per instalment (in addition to the dose) and the interval between each time the medicine can be supplied must be present on the prescription.
• See the instalment prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs section (below) for further information.

For more information on CDs, visit RCPharm’s Medicines, Ethics and Practice (MEP) page.

Further information:

• Name of medicine – it is good practice to write the name of the medicine in full as it appears in the manufacturer’s summary of product characteristics (SPC). Although the name of the medicine is not specified as a requirement under The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, it needs to be on the prescription for obvious reasons.
• When the CD is supplied, it is a requirement to mark the prescription with the date of supply at the time the supply is made.
• The prescription needs to be written in indelible ink and can be computer generated.
• A fax of a prescription does not fall within the definition of a legally valid prescription within human medicines legislation because it is not written in indelible ink and has not been signed in ink by an appropriate practitioner. For further information see the MEP’s section on fax prescriptions, including risks associated. These same principles apply to copies of an emailed private prescription printed out or presented on a patient’s mobile.

Instalment prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs

Where the prescription is intended to be supplied in instalments for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs:

• All prescription requirements listed above apply.
• In addition, a valid instalment direction is legally required – this means the amount of medicine to be supplied per instalment (in addition to the dose) and the interval between each time the medicine can be supplied must be present on the prescription.
• Instalment prescriptions must have both a dose and an instalment amount specified separately on the prescription.
• The first instalment must be dispensed within 28 days of the appropriate date, the remainder of the instalments should be dispensed in accordance with the instructions (even if this runs beyond 28 days after the appropriate date).
• See the MEP and DHSC’s Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management for information on Home Office-approved wording for instalment prescribing and missed doses.
• Mark the prescription with the date of each supply. 

Further information

• MEP
• Community Pharmacy England (CPE) – Dispensing Controlled Drugs.
• British National Formulary (BNF) – CDs and drug dependence.
• BNF: Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) – Opioid dependence: Prescribing information.
• DHSC – Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management.

Dental prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs

For prescriptions written by dentists for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs:

• All prescription requirements listed above apply.
• In addition, the words ‘for dental treatment only’ must be legally present.

Further information

• MEP
• Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS) – Managing controlled drugs for dental teams.

Technical errors 

Where a prescription for a Schedule 2 or 3 CD contains a minor typographical error or spelling mistake, or where either the words or figures (but not both) of the total quantity has been omitted, a pharmacist can amend the prescription indelibly so that it becomes compliant with legislation.

Providing you are satisfied you know what the prescriber intended, you may:

• Amend minor typographical errors or a spelling mistake.
• Add in either the words or the figures for the total quantity if the prescriber has written one but not both.
• The prescription should also be marked to show that the amendments are attributable to you (e.g. name, date, signature and GPhC registration number).

You can’t make any other amendments to a CD prescription (e.g., if the date, strength, form, dose is missing or incorrect, even if you have the prescriber’s permission).

CD EPS prescriptions 

• CDs can be supplied in an electronic prescription form, where EPS is used.
• ALL prescription requirements listed above apply for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs.
• There are some exclusions to prescribing CDs using EPS, further information can be found on the NHS Digital website.
• It is still best practice to ask the person collecting a prescription for Schedule 2 or 3 CDs to sign the back of the prescription token.

Further information

• MEP
• NHS Digital website.
• CPE – EPS and CDs.

Private prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs

• All prescription requirements listed above still apply.
• The appropriate date will always be the date on which it was signed.
• In addition, the following apply:

Prescription form

• Private prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs must be on the appropriate standardised form (except veterinary prescriptions).

Prescriber identification number

• This must be included on a standardised private prescription form.
• This is different to their professional registration number, it’s not their General Medical Council, General Dental Council, GPhC, Nursing and Midwifery Council (etc.) number.
• This number is issued by the relevant NHS agency.

Submission

• Private prescriptions (except veterinary prescriptions) must be submitted to the relevant NHS agency.
• A copy must be retained in the pharmacy.

Further information

• MEP
• Public Health Scotland – Prescriber registration.
• Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) – Safe management and use of CDs report (July 2014).
• NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) – What prescription forms are valid?
  • NHSBSA – Private controlled drugs.
  • NHS BSA – How do I submit prescriptions for private controlled drugs?
  • NHS BSA – How do I set up or amend codes for dispensing private controlled drugs?

Repeat dispensing or repeat prescriptions of  Schedule 2 and 3 CDs

• Repeat dispensing or repeat prescriptions aren’t allowed for Schedules 2 or 3 CDs (neither paper nor EPS).
• For further information see the MEP.

Emergency supplies of Schedule 2 and 3 CDs

• Emergency supplies can’t be made for Schedules 2 or 3 CDs, except for phenobarbital only for the treatment of epilepsy. For further information please see RCPharm’s pharmacy guide on emergency supply.

Record-keeping for CDs

CD register

A CD register must be used to record details of the following CDs:

• Schedule 1 CDs received or supplied by a pharmacy.
• Schedule 2 CDs received or supplied by a pharmacy.
• Sativex (Schedule 4 Part 1 CD)  received or supplied by a pharmacy – strong recommendation by Home Office to record in CD register.
• Expired /obsolete/unwanted stock of Schedule 2 CDs.

The following are the minimum fields of information that must be recorded in the register; additional relevant information can be added.

CDs received

• Date supply received.
• Name and address from whom received.
• Quantity received.

CDs supplied

• Date supplied.
• Name and address of recipient.
• Details of authority to possess – prescriber or licence holder’s details.
• Quantity supplied.
• Details of person collecting Schedule 2 CD – (e.g.) patient, patient’s representative or healthcare representative (if the latter, also record their name and address).
• Whether proof of identity was requested and provided of the person collecting.

Further information on CD register requirements, running balances and stock checks can be found in the MEP.

Other records to consider

• Patient-returned CDs – records of patient-returned Schedule 2 CDs and their subsequent destruction should be recorded in a separate record for this purpose and not in the CD register.
• Private prescription – records must be made in the prescription-only medication (POM) register (written or electronically) for CDs other than those in Schedule 2.
• Emergency supply – records must be made in the POM register only if supplying phenobarbital for the treatment of epilepsy.
• Vet CDs – records must be made in the POM register (written or electronically), for CDs other than those in Schedule 2 – for further information see our pharmacy guide on the supply of veterinary medicines.
• If a pharmacy is engaged in manufacturing, compounding, importing or exporting Schedule 3 or 4 CDs then record-keeping arrangements apply.

Collection of Schedule 2 and 3 CDs

For Schedule 2 CDs collected from the pharmacy:

• You are legally required to determine whether the person collecting is a patient, patient’s representative or healthcare professional.
• Details of person collecting – (e.g.) patient, patient’s representative or healthcare representative (if the latter, also record their name and address) should be recorded in the CD register.
• If a patient or patient’s representative collects – you may request evidence of the person’s identity, unless they are already known to you. The decision whether to supply or not is at your discretion using your professional judgement.
• If a healthcare professional acting in their professional capacity on behalf of the patient collects  – unless already known to you then obtain their name and address, for documentation in the CD register, and evidence of identity. If evidence of identity is not available, then the decision whether to supply or not is at your discretion using your professional judgement.

For Schedule 2 and 3 CDs collected from the pharmacy:

• It is good practice for the person collecting a Schedule 2 or 3 CD to sign the space on the reverse of the prescription form that is specifically for this purpose – a supply can be made if this is not signed, based on your professional judgement.
• If the representative signing for a a Schedule 2 or 3 CD on behalf of a patient is a delivery driver, then a robust audit trail should be available to confirm successful delivery of the medicine to the patient.

Drug misuse

• If a patient who is misusing drugs wants a representative to collect a dispensed CD on his or her behalf, you are advised to first obtain a letter from the patient that authorises and names the representative (this includes those detained in police custody who should supply a letter of authorisation to a police custody officer to present to the pharmacist). A separate letter should be obtained each time the patient sends a representative to collect and the representative should bring identification. You should be satisfied that the letter is genuine.

Supervised doses:

• If a representative collects and the prescription states that the dose must be supervised, you should contact the prescriber before supplying – since supervision will not be possible.
• It is legally acceptable to confirm verbally with the prescriber that they are happy with this arrangement since supervision, while important, is not a legal requirement. 
• An appropriate record of this conversation should be made. 
• It would not be necessary to contact the prescriber if the person has been detained in police custody and the representative collecting the dose is a police custody officer or a custody healthcare professional as the administration of any Schedule 2 or 3 CD in custody will be supervised by a healthcare professional.
• Consider annotating the prescription and patient medication records to advise others if the dose has not been supervised in the pharmacy.

Requisitions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs

When an approved mandatory requisition form must be used: 

Approved mandatory requisition forms

	England	Scotland	Wales
Type of form	FP10CDF.	CDRF – for private supplies GP10A – for NHS supplies.	WP10CDF.
Where to obtain forms	Download from NHSBSA website.	See local health board via NHS Scotland website.	See local health board via NHS Wales website.

Legal requirements for a Schedule 2 or 3 CD requisition:

• Signature of the recipient.
• Name of the recipient.
• Address of the recipient.
• Profession or occupation.
• Total quantity of drug.
• Purpose of requisition.

For hospital requisitions, where the person in charge, or acting in charge of a hospital issues and signs a requisition, this must also be signed by a doctor or dentist employed or engaged in that hospital.

Processing of forms

When a requisition for a Schedule 2 or 3 CD is received it is a legal requirement to:

• Mark the requisition indelibly with the supplier’s name and address (i.e. the name of the pharmacy). Where a pharmacy stamp is used this must be clear and legible.
• Send the original requisition form to the relevant NHS agency.

As a matter of good practice, pharmacies should retain a copy of the requisition for two years from the date of supply

These processing requirements do not apply when the supply is made:

• By a person responsible for the dispensing and supply of medicines at a hospital, care home, hospice, prison or organisation providing ambulance services who must mark and retain the original requisition for two years
• By pharmaceutical manufacturers or wholesalers
• Against a veterinary requisition (the original requisition must be retained for five years).

Practical guidance

• Supplies made against a faxed or photocopied requisition are not acceptable.
• Legislation requires that a requisition in writing must be obtained by the supplier (i.e. the pharmacy) before delivery of any Schedule 2 or 3 CD to most recipients (this includes practitioners, hospitals, care homes, ship and offshore installation personnel, senior registered nurses in charge of wards, theatres and other hospital departments. Some recipients (such as GPhC-registered pharmacies) are not included in this legal requirement); however, the Home Offices advise that supplies from one registered pharmacy to another registered pharmacy should only be made after receiving a written requisition on an approved requisition form.
• In an emergency, a doctor, dentist, veterinary practitioner or veterinary surgeon can be supplied with a Schedule 2 or 3 CD on the undertaking that a requisition will be supplied within the next 24 hours – failure to do so would be an offence on the part of the requesting practitioner.
• Where stock is collected by a messenger on behalf of a purchaser, a written authorisation must be provided to the supplying pharmacist that empowers the messenger to receive the medicines on behalf of the purchaser – you need to be reasonably satisfied that the authorisation is genuine and you must retain it for two years.

Midwife supply orders 

A registered midwife may use a midwife supply order to obtain the following CDs:

• Diamorphine.
• Morphine.
• Pethidine.

The order must contain the following:

• Name of the midwife.
• Occupation of the midwife.
• Name of the person to whom the CD is to be administered or supplied.
• Purpose for which the CD is required.
• Total quantity of the drug to be obtained.
• Signature of an appropriate medical officer – a doctor authorised (in writing) by the local supervising authority or the person appointed by the supervising authority to exercise supervision over midwives within the area.

Wholesale dealing of CDs

Any wholesale supply of stock medicines on a commercial basis by a pharmacy requires a wholesale dealer’s authorisation for medicines for human or for veterinary use (as appropriate) and a Home Office licence for the wholesale supply of CDs.

Safe custody of CDs

Pharmacies, private hospitals and care homes must keep relevant CDs in a “locked safe, cabinet or room which is constructed as to prevent unauthorised access to the drugs” as stated in the The Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973.

For settings other than those listed above, these regulations are considered minimum standards for safe custody.

CDs requiring safe custody:

• All Schedule 1 CDs.
• All Schedule 2 CDs (except quinalbarbitone).
• All CD Schedule 3 (except any 5,5 disubstituted barbituric acid-based substances such as phenobarbitone, cathine, ethchlorvynol, ethinamate, mazindol, meprobamate, methylphenobarbital, methyprylon, midazolam, pentazocine, phentermine, pregabalin, gabapentin, tramadol or any stereoisomeric form of the above, or any salts of the above).

Notes: any new additions to the list of CDs in Schedule 3 will require safe custody, unless specifically exempted. When CDs requiring safe custody are not kept in the CD cabinet, safe or room (e.g. during the dispensing process), the CD must be under the “direct personal supervision” of the pharmacist.

Exemptions for safe custody

• Any liquid preparations, which contain any of the following substances and products (note: injection preparations would require safe custody): amphetamine, benzphetamine, chlorphentermine, fenetylline, mephentermine, methaqualone, methylamphetamine, methylphenidate, phendimetrazine, phenmetrazine, pipradol, any stereoisomeric form of a substance or any salt of a substance specified in this list.
• Even when Schedule 2 and 3 CDs are exempt from safe custody, you may consider it appropriate to maintain storage under safe custody if there’s enough space, as this may act as a reminder that these drugs are CDs and may have other CD requirements (e.g. prescription requirements, etc.).

CD cabinet keys and key logs

• The CD safe, cabinet or room should be constructed and maintained to prevent unauthorised access .
• Pharmacists would be advised to keep the CD cabinet, safe or room keys on them when on duty.
• The responsibility of handling the keys could be delegated to another member of staff (e.g. the dispenser may be holding the keys for the time they are conducting a running balance check on the stock under safe custody or during the time they are dispensing a CD, etc.). However, the pharmacist is still responsible for the stock under safe custody and accountable for any discrepancies that may occur.
• Access to CDs (including CD key handling) should be documented within a policy; it should prevent unauthorised access and identify who has had access to CDs (e.g. to a room or cabinet with electronic access or an audit trail for holders of the CD keys).
• A key log could be used to keep an audit trail of who has had access to the keys, including overnight storage in the pharmacy, the transfer of the keys from one pharmacist at the end of a shift to another pharmacist (etc.).
• See our guide on the safe and secure handling of medicines (SSHM) to help improve how medicines are handled within your organisation and help you develop policies and procedures. It covers obtaining medicines, transport, receipt, manufacture, manipulation, storage, issuing of medicines, removal, disposal, handling of controlled drugs and medicines in theatres. There is also addition guidance on the administration of medicines in healthcare settings.

Structural requirements of safes, cabinets and rooms used for storing CDs

• The structural requirements and technical details which the CD safe, cabinet and room must comply with are detailed in the Safe Custody Regulations (please note: it is outside of our expertise to advise on these details).
• We do not endorse or approve individual CD cabinets or brands of CD cabinets. 
• When purchasing a safe or cabinet, you should check with the vendor or manufacturer that the product specifications comply with the requirements stated in the regulations.
• Alternatively, you may apply for a certificate from the police which certifies that your safe, cabinet or room provides an adequate degree of security for holding CDs – for further information contact the local police station in your area. 
• Prison building regulations specify the details of the robust nature required for all rooms which store CDs.
• In some hospitals and in prisons, the cabinet in which the CDs are stored are recommended as meeting the Solds Secure Silver standard (further technical specification may be required by DHSC as well as Health Facilities Scotland).

Patient-returned and out-of-date or obsolete CDs

• You are advised to destroy patient-returned CDs as soon as practically possible.
• Where this isn’t immediately practicable, the patient-returned and out-of-date or obsolete CDs requiring safe custody would be required to be stored in a CD safe, cabinet or room, until they can be destroyed appropriately.
• To minimise the risk of supplying the patient-returned, out-of-date or obsolete CD to a patient in error, this stock should be segregated from the pharmacy stock in the CD safe, cabinet or room and be clearly marked (e.g. you could mark the stock as ‘waiting to be destroyed patient returns’ or ‘out of date, waiting authorised witness to destroy’, etc.).

Destruction of CDs

• All Schedules 2, 3 and 4 (Part 1) CDs should be denatured before disposal.
• The destruction of obsolete and out-of-date pharmacy stock of Schedule 2 CDs needs to be witnessed by an authorised person.
• Please also refer to your local guidance on CD disposal. You may wish to contact your local accountable officer for queries on the safe disposal of CDs in your area.
• The manufacturer’s product information on safe disposal and storage may also be helpful when counselling patients. For further information, see the relevant manufacturer’s patient information leaflet and SPC on the electronic medicines compendium or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency website.
• In prisons, to maintain a robust audit trail, use of Schedule 3 CDs (e.g. buprenorphine) should be recorded in the CD register. Therefore, any destruction should also be recorded. It is also recommended that a robust audit trail is maintained for Schedule 4 CDs, such as diazepam and chlordiazepoxide.
• If a pharmacy is engaged in manufacturing, compounding, importing or exporting Schedule 3 or 4 CDs, then destruction of these requires an authorised witness.

Prescribing CDs

Pharmacist independent prescribers (IPs) can prescribe, administer, and give directions for the administration of Schedule 2, 3, 4 and 5 CDs including diamorphine, dipipanone or cocaine for treating organic disease or injury (but not for treating addiction).

However, you should consider the following before prescribing CDs:

• Clinical competence – as with all medicines, only prescribe CDs for indications which you are clinically competent in – see our guide for further information.
• Professional indemnity – check that you have professional indemnity for your prescribing activities – see our IP guide for further information.
• Local policies and formularies – check with the local non-medical prescriber lead and/or accountable officer with regards to prescribing CDs in your area. See the following websites: Care Quality Commission (CQC) (England), HIS (Scotland), or Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (Wales).
• Standardised private prescription forms – if you will be prescribing CDs privately, obtain the appropriate standardised form from the local primary care organisation or health board. In England the form is an FP10PCD, in Scotland it is a PPCD (1) form and in Wales it is a WP10PCD – see the section on Private prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs for further information.
• Prescription requirements – make sure you write prescriptions legally and safely – see the Legal prescription requirements for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs, Instalment prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs and Private prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 CDs sections.
• Self-prescribing and prescribing for friends and family – you should not prescribe for yourself or for anyone with whom you have a close personal relationship with, except in exceptional circumstances. For example, when no other person with the legal right to prescribe is available and only then if the treatment is necessary to save a life, avoid serious deterioration in the patient’s health, or alleviate otherwise uncontrollable pain. If you do, be prepared to justify your decision and make a record of the circumstances  – see our IP guide on for further information.

Further information

RCPharm

• MEP
• Drugs and driving legislation
• Prescribing guidance
• Competency framework for all prescribers
• Emergency supply guide
• Supply of veterinary medicines guide
• SSHM guide

External

• CPE – EPS and CDs.
  • CPE – Dispensing CDs.
  • Community Pharmacy Scotland – CDs.
• DHSC – Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management.
  • DHSC (then the Department of Health) – Safer Management of CDs: A guide to good practice in secondary care (England, 2007).
• Home Office – Circular 009/2012: nurse and provisions pharmacist independent prescribing for Schedule 4 Part II drugs.
  • Home Office – Transporting controlled drugs: guidance on security measures.
  • Home Office – CDs list.
• NHSBSA – Safer management of CDs.
  • NHSBSA – Knowledge Base.
  • NHSBSA – Which prescription forms are valid?
  • NHS Digital – CDs in the EPS.
• BNF – CDs and drug dependence.
  • BNF: CKS – Opioid dependence: Prescribing information.
• HIS – Safe management and use of controlled drugs report: July 2014.
• CQC – GP mythbuster 28: Management of controlled drugs.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline – NG46 – CDs: safe use and management.
• Public Health Scotland – Prescriber registration.
• SPS – Managing CDs for dental teams.

CD accountable officers (CDAOs)

• CQC – CDAOs (England)
• HIS – CDAOs (Scotland)
• Healthcare Inspectorate Wales – CDAOs (Wales)

Legislation (chronologically ordered)

• Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
• The Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973.
• The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
• Health Act 2006 – information on accountable officers.
• The Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2013 – which affect England and Scotland.