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<p>Information on the number of prisoners who are prescribed a particular medicine
or class of medicine is not collected centrally, nor are data held relating to prescription
items dispensed in prisons.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England commissions all pharmacy services
in prisons in England. It is responsible for the quality of service and for ensuring
that good practice guidelines are followed in relation to the prescribing, safe use
and treatment following withdrawal of psychotropic drugs treatments, including benzodiapines
and Z-drugs. Where healthcare professionals have concerns about prescribing decisions
in relation to psychotropic drug treatment in prisons, they should record these as
medication safety incidents and report them to the local medicines management committee
for possible further investigation. NHS England commissioners also require healthcare
providers to report these incidents in patient safety contract monitoring.</p><p>
</p><p>Prison pharmacy services currently follow guidelines set out in <em>A Pharmacy
Service for Prisoners</em>, issued by the Department in 2003. NHS England is currently
reviewing this guidance, and updated guidance will be published in due course. A copy
of the current guidance has already been placed in the Library.</p><p> </p><p>Detailed
guidance on benzodiazepine detoxification for prisoners is included in <em>Clinical
Management of Drug Dependence in the Adult Prison Setting</em>, published by the Department
in 2006. A copy has already been placed in the Library. Clinicians are expected to
follow this and other relevant guidance such as that published by the Royal College
of General Practitioners' Secure Environments Group on <em>Safer Prescribing in Prisons</em>.</p><p>
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