Services Database Supervised Consumption Scheme (North Somerset Area)

The aims of the service are to:

• ensure compliance with the agreed treatment plan by dispensing in specified instalments, and ensuring each supervised dose is correctly consumed by the patient for whom it was intended;
• reduce the risk to local communities of over usage or under usage of medicines, diversion of prescribed medicines onto the illicit drugs market, and accidental exposure to the supervised medicines; and
• provide service users with regular contact with health care professionals and to help them access further advice or assistance. The service user will be referred to specialist treatment centres or other health and social care professionals where appropriate. The drug liaison worker can provide support with this.

The service requires the pharmacist to supervise the consumption of the prescribed medicine as stated by the prescriber, ensuring that the prescribed dose of approved medicine used for the management of opiate dependency has been administered to the patient.

CPPE training that may support this service:

• Opiate Treatment: Supporting pharmacists for improve patient care (open learning)

Locally organised Best Practice Meetings (pharmacists to be encouraged to attend Shared Care meeting(s))