Independent Review of the Management of Controlled Drug Use in ...

Safer Management of Controlled Drugs – A guide to strengthened governance
arrangements in Northern Ireland was produced by DHSSPS in 2009 and
revised in March 2011.
2.3 Systems Arising from Legislation
2.3.1 Designated Bodies and Responsible Bodies for Controlled Drug
Management and Use
The legislation defined certain organisations as either Designated Bodies or
Responsible Bodies.
In the legislation, Designated Bodies are defined as ‘those that are directly or
indirectly concerned with the provision of health care (whether or not for the
purposes of the health and social care services), or otherwise carrying on
activities that involve or may involve the supply or administration of controlled
drugs’.
Designated Bodies are accountable for the monitoring of all aspects of the use
and management of controlled drugs by all health care professionals whom
they employ; with whom they contract; or to whom they grant practising
privileges.
Designated Bodies in Northern Ireland include:
Health and Social Care Board (HSC Board);
Health and Social Care Trusts;
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust
(NIAS);
Independent Hospitals.
The legislation also identifies a number of organisations as Responsible
Bodies, some of whom may not be directly involved in the management and
use of controlled drugs. Responsible Bodies have a duty of cooperation and
sharing of information in relation to the management and use of controlled
drugs.
Responsible Bodies in Northern Ireland include:
Designated bodies as above;
DHSSPS;
The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA);
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI);
Counter Fraud Unit , Business Services Organisation (BSO);
Regulatory bodies including:
Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland;
General Medical Council;
General Dental Council;
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