Policies and procedures

This page provides guidelines on working with the pharmaceutical industry and information about prescriber registration. You can also find useful information about controlled drugs and contact details for the Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer.

Working with the Pharmaceutical Industry

The NHS faces many challenges. Economic pressures are unprecedented with a continual drive for improved quality and productivity in the system.

NHS organisations are increasingly calling on external expertise to enable them to meet these challenges, recognising that working with partners who can supplement their skills and resources can provide benefits that are not otherwise achievable.

One such partner is the pharmaceutical industry, which apart from supplying medicines that improve the quality of patients’ lives, can contribute skills and expertise arising from its particular experience in business and financial management and its extensive knowledge of the therapy areas relevant to its medicines.

We recognise the contribution that the pharmaceutical industry can make to improving the health of the population of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, not only by producing medicines that play a crucial role in maintaining health, preventing illness, managing chronic conditions and curing disease but also from their willingness to provide non-promotional support (e.g. education and training).

We must manage conflicts of interest to ensure that patient safety and quality of care are paramount, and for this reason, we have a Policy for Sponsorship and Joint Working with the Pharmaceutical Industry that is in the public domain and reviewed periodically.

This policy aims to ensure we benefit from joint work without compromising our transparent and unbiased approach to improving patient care.

Policy for the Sponsorship of Activities by and Joint Working with the Pharmaceutical Industry

We only endorse or promote the use of specific medicines or classes of medicines through the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Joint Formulary Group, a collaboration between local acute trusts and the ICB.

This group makes transparent and unbiased decisions about individual medicines through a robust process involving critical appraisal of the evidence base, and only at the request of a clinician.

The BNSSG Joint Formulary Group updates the BNSSG Joint Formulary regularly accordingly.

Any decisions to fund individual medicines by NICE in the form of a Technology Appraisal are automatically reflected in the BNSSG Joint Formulary within the mandatory time frame.

BNSSG Joint Formulary

Prescriber registration

GP practices have the responsibility of ensuring that the information the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) Prescription Services hold about prescribers is correct.

NHS Prescription Services use prescriber & organisation codes to identify where prescription costs should be assigned.

Prescriber registration to and removal from practices, cost centres (PDF)

Controlled drugs

NHS England (South West) holds the role and responsibility of Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer for the South West of England.

Concerns relating to controlled drugs can be brought to the attention of the accountable officer:

• sharing concerns
• raising a complaint
• reporting a patient safety incident
• raising a concern on professional practice (whistle blowing)
• requesting a witness for the destruction of out of date CDs

The Interim Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer at NHS England (South West) is Darren Barnett.

Email: england.southwestcontrolleddrugs@nhs.net
Call: 0113 824 8129

Controlled drugs - NHS England

Controlled drug incidents can also be reported to the NHS England Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer via the online reporting system cdreporting.co.uk.

Other controlled drugs-related documents and guidance:

• NICE Guidelines – Controlled drugs: safe use and management (PDF)