Controlled Drugs

Controlled Drug Accountable Officer (CDAO) – West Yorkshire

The CD Accountable Officer for NHS England (North East and Yorkshire) is Gazala Khan.

Email: england.yhcdao@nhs.net

Reporting CD Incidents: Report via  www.cdreporting.co.uk

More details and guidance on Controlled Drugs and CD Regulations can be found on the CPE website here.

Controlled Drugs (CD) Destruction

From 1st July 2024, the CD destruction process will be updated. More information can be found in the SoP below.

We will update the information on this page once the process has been updated.

Controlled Drugs Destruction Reporter SOP – May 2024

Pharmacies with Schedule 2 CDs that require destruction, e.g. expired stock, can request an Authorised Witness appointed by NHS England to attend the pharmacy or apply for a temporary Authorised Witness licence to carry out the destruction themselves.

Applications for CD destructions or applications for a registered healthcare professional working in primary care to be granted a temporary Authorised Witness license, can be made on the Controlled Drugs Reporting website here: http://www.cdreporting.co.uk/.

Pharmacies need to nominate a different member of staff to carry out the destruction and must enter a list of the medication to be destroyed on the CD Reporting website.

Pharmacies will need a T28 exemption (this is an exemption issued by the Environment Agency that allows pharmacies to denature controlled drugs to comply with the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001) to allow the destruction to be carried out. Guidance can be found here. You can apply here. You will need the Grid Reference co-ordinates for the pharmacy, which can be found here.

Once granted, the temporary Authorised Witness license will remain valid for 28 days. When the destruction has been carried out, this must be confirmed on the CD Reporting website.

NICE Guidance states that when destroying and disposing of pharmacy own stock CDs in Schedule 2 the following must be entered into the CD register:

• the name, strength and form of the controlled drug
• the quantity
• the date of destruction
• the signature of the authorised person witnessing the destruction

You should record the temporary Authorised Witness License Number. The person carrying out the destruction should also sign the register so that two signatures are recorded.

Multiple pharmacy chains can also apply for AWs to be appointed within their business to oversee destructions. Further details on the CPE website and applications can be made to the CDAO by completing the form Controlled Drugs – Multiple Pharmacy Application and returning to england.yhcdao@nhs.net.

Patient returned CDs (all Schedules) and stock Schedule 3 and 4 CDs can be destroyed in the pharmacy and although no AW is required, it is good practice for the destruction to be witnessed by another member of the team and details of the destruction recorded in a separate register.

Last Updated: 12th June 2024