Management of controlled drugs in care homes
20 November 2008
Following the Shipman Inquiry the government introduced new methods to monitor and inspect controlled drugs. We now have a duty to share information with other regulators including the police and to check the use of controlled drugs in care homes.
The guidance describes how this will affect you and the specific role that our pharmacist inspectors will play. The guidance also explains:
- which medicines are controlled drugs
- what the regulations and national minimum standards say
- how to decide if a resident can look after and take their own controlled drugs
- the safeguards that must be in place when your care staff give controlled drugs to residents
- what we look for during our inspection work.
Please note
All guidance with references to the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) are superseded by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and are valid for you to use.
What is a controlled drugs (CD) cupboard?
A CD cupboard is:
- made of steel
- has a specified locking mechanism
- is permanently fixed to a solid wall with rag or rawl bolts
A CD cupboard is not:
- a ‘cupboard within a cupboard’
- a locked metal cashbox, fixed to the shelf of a wooden cupboard
- a metal safe used to store personal effects of value
Suppliers of medical equipment sell CD cupboards and their catalogues state when the product meets the requirements of the Regulations.
There may be a problem in some new constructions to find a solid wall to put it on. In this case, a steel plate must be mounted on the wall to attach the cupboard to. Your local police force may be able to offer advice, depending on whether they have dedicated officers to deal with CD issues.
Does this mean a care home must have the correct type of CD cupboard?
Any care home that looks after and is responsible for giving controlled drugs to people they care for must comply with this legislation. Otherwise, you are breaking the law. We will expect all new care homes to comply with this legal requirement before they are registered.
Existing care homes must take responsibility for providing a suitable cupboard when they centrally store CD. You may not have had CD for people in your care in the past, but you never know when a doctor will prescribe a CD for someone in your care. It may be too late if you wait for this to happen before installing the correct storage facilities.
