I work in mental health and my manager has suggested that I undertake training to prescribe. Would I be able to prescribe diazepam? Many of my patients suffer from anxiety and would benefit from this medication.
A Diazepam appears in Schedule 4, part 1, of the list of drugs currently controlled under the misuse of drugs legislation (CDs).
If you successfully complete the prescribing programme, you will be awarded the dual qualification of independent/supplementary prescriber. Nurse independent prescribers can prescribe a number of CDs, (including diazepam), for specified conditions,.
However, this medicine is indicated in this list for palliative care, treatment of 'initial or acute withdrawal symptoms caused by the withdrawal of alcohol from persons habituated to it, and tonic-clonic seizures'. Therefore, unless your patients' fall within these categories, you will not be able to prescribe diazepam independently.
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