Vol. 508 No. 2
93 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has issued the circular to general practitioners in relation to the over prescribing of certain controlled drugs; if so, the response, if any, he has received; and the follow up he will undertake on this matter. [17317/99]
My Department's chief medical officer wrote to all general practitioners on 30 August 1999, in relation to the prescribing of controlled drugs.
The purpose of the letter was to advise general practitioners that there was a need to exercise caution when prescribing controlled drugs. It further advised that general practitioners intending to prescribe controlled drugs to a drug misuser should ascertain that the patient in question was not already in receipt of controlled drugs through another general practitioner or treatment centre. This is particularly important in relation to the prescribing of benzodiazepines to a patient who is on methadone maintenance, as that person may become destabilised as a result of such treatment.
The letter gives details on best clinical practice in relation to treatment of opiate misusers in particular and gives details of the persons who can be contacted in health board central services or in my Department if a general practitioner has a problem in this area.
