ACMD advice on administration rights for therapeutic radiographer independent prescribers (accessible version)
Updated 3 October 2022
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Kit Malthouse MP
Minister of State for Crime and Policing
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Jo Churchill MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
22 April 2020
Dear Ministers,
RE: ACMD advice on the administration of morphine by injection by therapeutic radiographers
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has received and considered representations from NHS-England in relation to a proposal to permit therapeutic radiographer independent prescribers to lawfully administer morphine by injection, or to direct another healthcare practitioner to lawfully administer morphine by injection following a written prescription from that radiographer.
The ACMD has previously recommended to Government that the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 should be amended to allow therapeutic radiographers to independently prescribe a number of controlled drugs, including morphine by injection. However, administration rights which would enable therapeutic radiographers to lawfully administer (or to lawfully direct another healthcare professional to administer) morphine by injection were not considered at that time.
Therapeutic radiographers are pivotal to delivering curative and palliative treatment and care for patients with cancer and relief of anxiety and pain control are major issues for patients under the care of therapeutic radiographers.
The ability for therapeutic radiographers to administer - and to direct others to administer - these drugs has the potential to improve patient outcomes and patient experience through timely access to medicines.
The ACMD is supportive of the proposal. The ACMD have been given assurances by NHS-England that all therapeutic radiographer independent prescribers would have to complete comprehensive training in order to be considered competent, and that there would be local governance processes in place to monitor the practice.
Recommendation
The ACMD therefore recommends to the Home Office that the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 are amended to allow therapeutic radiographer independent prescribers administration rights.
Yours sincerely
Prof Owen Bowden-Jones, Chair of ACMD
Prof Roger Knaggs, Chair of ACMD’s Technical Committee
CC: Rt Hon. Priti Patel MP (Home Secretary), Rt Hon. Matt Hancock MP (Secretary of State for Health and Social Care)