Clause 16 - Accountable officers and their responsibilities as to controlled drugs
Health Bill
2:00 pm
Jane Kennedy (Minister of State, Department of Health; Liverpool, Wavertree, Labour)
We do not like the amendment because it would remove the option of the organisation deciding how to meet the requirements. The regulations will specify the requisite seniority of the accountable officer; they will probably have to be at board level. Other likely requirements will be that they have relevant clinical knowledge and are remote from the day-to-day dispensing of controlled drugs.
It is just within the bounds of possibility that very small trusts may not have someone who is clinically qualified and senior enough, yet sufficiently removed from the day-to-day dispensing of controlled drugs, to fulfil those requirements. On those occasions, we expect that they may possibly have to consider appointing somebody. In most cases, however, I expect that someone working for the trust will be nominated to fulfil that role.