Tuesday 30 June 2009

Action on Controlled Drugs - Diamorphine

Lib Dem Councillor Sue McGuire working with local residents has forced Sefton NHS to update its policy on the destruction of controlled drugs following the death of the patient.

As Sue explained
“I was horrified to discover that some nurses did not have the equipment to destroy the controlled drugs or were unaware of the policy of Sefton NHS regarding how to deal with controlled drugs following the deaths of terminally ill patients in Southport. As a result quantities of diamorphine were simply left with grieving family members to deal with.”

Doctor Harold Shipman killed 215 people over a 23-year period by collecting diamorphine prescribed for terminally ill patients after their deaths and so by not ensuring that their policy was implemented Sefton NHS could well have left the way open for something similar to happen in Southport.

Sue added
“I am so pleased that following the action of myself and two residents, the Primary Care Trust immediately took steps to ensure that all diamorphine left following a patients death will be dealt with correctly and in most cases destroyed in front of a witness”.

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